Verizon Customers to Pay $2 Extra Fee Monthly for Single Online or Over the Phone Bills Payment

Tweet

Verizon wants to make sure its mobile customers pay on time, and will charge an extra $2 fee for single, manual payments made over the phone and online. Will the so-called convenience fee convince everyone to auto-pay?

As wireless services become more commonplace and necessary in users’ lives, demand for the utility will ensure that customers will want continuous service at reasonable prices. With this in mind, Verizon has decided to make sure customers pay on time, and has set-up automated payment systems (through credit or debit card, or e-check).

Verizon says this is a “convenience fee” which will be instituted for single bill payments.

Starting January 15, a new $2 payment convenience fee will be instituted for customers who make single bill payments online or by telephone … It is waived for those who pay by electronic check or enroll in AutoPay — we encourage customers to use those or other payment options that incur no fees.

Of course, $2 is nothing big, compared with one’s monthly data, voice and messaging fees. But this adds up to $24 a year, which might be good to pay for extra data charges, SMS, calls, or a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Verizon says this fee is to defray expenses they incur from these single-transaction payments from the phone, mobile or online. The fee is waived for these payment options, though:

• E-check payment online;
• E-check via telephone;
• AutoPay via credit card, debit card;
• Online from a customer’s own home-banking service provider;
• Credit card, ATM or debit card payment at a kiosk at Verizon stores;
• Over the counter payment at Verizon stores;
• Use of Verizon Gift Card or Rebate Card;
• Paper check or money order mailed to the VZW remit address on one’s bill.

The fee applies by January 15th, after which the easiest option for payment would probably be through auto-debit from one’s credit or debit card. But if you’re already enrolled in these options, then you probably don’t have to worry spending an extra couple of bucks for the surcharge.