VZW will charge $2 "convenience" fee for bills paid online or over the phone.

[Nostromo]

Dropped:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204720204577130802272138184.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

No nuisance fee for Verizon customers.

 

[Azurael]

Haha, I was reading this thread with intrigue because here in the UK, practically all recurring payments are made by Direct Debit (which sounds a mighty lot like AT&T's auto-pay except it's a universal service that applies to every service provider and bank.) My mobile provider can't seem to make my Direct Debit work (even though all my other utilities are paid with no issue :-/) and as a result of that, I have to pay an extra £5 ($7.76) to pay by card... Keep fighting them, or you'll end up like us!

 

[einmusiker]

verizon backpedaled. fee has been dropped

 

[Jimbo47]

Watch your bills in the upcoming few months. They might still try to raise their pricing, which of course would show as a surcharge; that would leave a lot of room to wiggle out of a contract.

 

[bushido]

people actually go to the store to pay their phone bills? didnt even know thats possible lol is it still 1990?

i just let them take it from my bank account when the bill is due like any other charges. checks? i never seen those used in my life

 

[cwwilson]

The tribe has spoken. *castoff music plays*

But really, I'm happy people didn't just bend over and take a dry humping this time around, but something tells me this might not be over. Some how, some way, VZ will add this into the bill regardless. Keep an eye out on your Misc. deductions/charges, like "administrative fees".

 

[Ronlap]

Read the Agreement

While now a moot point, read the notice. The $2 fee is imposed ONLY if you pay by debit or credit card and not if you pay by ACH (funds transfer) or e-check. If you pay by debit or credit card, Verizon has to pay the bank fee and I see no reason why they cannot pass that on to the consumer.

Even if you make a one-time payment, as long as it's NOT by credit or debit card, you don't pay the fee.

 

[dukebound85]

While now a moot point, read the notice. The $2 fee is imposed ONLY if you pay by debit or credit card and not if you pay by ACH (funds transfer) or e-check. If you pay by debit or credit card, Verizon has to pay the bank fee and I see no reason why they cannot pass that on to the consumer.

Even if you make a one-time payment, as long as it's NOT by credit or debit card, you don't pay the fee.

If you think verizon and att have not incorporated these costs into their business model already, you would be misinformed. This is a money grab by them

 

[s00nertp]

Why I stopped using Verizon

Verizon does this kind of thing all the time. I used to be a forced loyal customer of theirs for years... when they were the only (or most reliable) vendor / cartel in the area. Additionally I worked with them on the business side for high speed corporate lines.

I have to say of all the companies I've had to interact with, their customer service and billing practices are top 3 most evil of big corporations.

They optimize everything to the detriment of their customers, doing just enough to not make people leave.

I hate verizon.

 

[takeshi74]

If you pay by debit or credit card, Verizon has to pay the bank fee and I see no reason why they cannot pass that on to the consumer.

Apparently you're not familiar with the credit card agreements that forbid such surcharges. It's a cost of business and, as stated above, it's not the straw that broke the camel's back.

people actually go to the store to pay their phone bills? didnt even know thats possible lol is it still 1990?

i just let them take it from my bank account when the bill is due like any other charges. checks? i never seen those used in my life

Just because you don't do something doesn't mean that no one else does. Try pulling your head out of the hole in the ground sometime. Why would any company offer fewer payment options to it customers? It makes no business sense to have a business model that unnecessarily restricts incoming revenue, regardless of the year.

 

[drober30]

I don't think it's so unreasonable to swallow a $2 fee to pay instantly online with a credit card.

I couldn't disagree more!

I will never pay a company a fee for them to accept my payment! Stupidest thing I have ever heard!

I can only imagine the amount of people that owe Verizon money that have not paid their bills. Verizon should not beat up on the people that are willing to pay their obligations!

Oh wait... Verizon has changed their mind but you can feel free to include an extra $2 with each bill you pay.