Verizon Wireless Abandons Plan for $2 Monthly Fee After Customer Uproar
In a head-snapping about-face, Verizon Wireless has dropped the $2 monthly fee it planned to impose on some of its customers.
Mere hours after the company announced it would begin charging the fee to customers making one-time bill payments using credit cards, the backlash began. But Verizon stood firm, saying there were plenty of other ways people could pay their bills without being dinged by the fee.
And then the FCC stepped in, telling The New York Times, “On behalf of American consumers, we’re concerned about Verizon’s actions and are looking into the matter.”
And that was that. Perhaps spooked by the possible inquiry, Verizon waved the white flag of surrender and beat a hasty retreat less than a day after announcing the proposed fee.
Dan Mead, president and chief executive officer of Verizon Wireless, said in part, “At Verizon, we take great care to listen to our customers. Based on their input, we believe the best path forward is to encourage customers to take advantage of the best and most efficient options, eliminating the need to institute the fee at this time.”
Score one for American consumers.