What leads you to believe that Verizon or any other carrier wants to become a dumb pipe?? A decade of contrary statements to the press suggests otherwise.

I doubt they want to, but the device openness on that spectrum is mandated by regulations.

Just because any ODI-approved device will be allowed on their network doesn't mean that they have to sell/subsidize devices that are free to use the data connection for calls.

so buy the rooted/rootable android device from hacker-friendly company X, and run it on VZ's LTE network.