FCC Looking Into Verizon Convenience Fee

Verizon found itself the center of a whole lot of negative attention yesterday after details were leaked concerning the company’s plan to start charging customers a $2 “convenience fee” for paying their bill online or over the phone. Though there are a number of ways around the fee, which goes into effect on January 15th, the report – which was later confirmed by Verizon – had many people up in arms.

Well, now it looks as though not all of the negative attention is coming from customers. The New York Times is reporting that the FCC has taken notice of the planned fee, and is going to investigate. The FCC expressed their concern over the matter, and said that they intended to look into the matter.

Yesterday I speculated that negative PR might not be enough to dissuade Verizon from going ahead and instituting this “convenience fee,” since they stand to make a considerable sum of money from it. This, however, is a different matter. We will just have to wait and see whether the FCC’s attention will succeed where public opinion might well have failed.