FCC wants to have a little chat with Verizon

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Randall Webmail <rvh40 () insightbb com>
> Date: December 4, 2009 9:46:36 PM EST
> To: johnmacsgroup () yahoogroups com, dewayne () warpspeed com, dave () farber net
> Subject: FCC wants to have a little chat with Verizon

> NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission on Friday aske 
> d Verizon Wireless why it recently doubled the fees it charges custo 
> mers when they break their contracts on "smart" phones.
>
> In November, the carrier hiked the maximum early contract  
> termination fee for smart phones to $350 from $175. Like other  
> carriers, Verizon subsidizes the cost of the devices for contract- 
> signing customers, then expects to make that money back in service  
> fees over the term of the contract.
>
> "Smart phones quickly became a major part of our business and cost  
> us a whole lot more," Verizon spokesman Jeffrey Nelson said.
>
> The FCC's letter to Verizon asks how consumers will know whether the  
> increased fee applies to their phone, and whether it's spelled out  
> anywhere except in the formal customer agreement.
>
> The FCC is also asking the carrier about $1.99 data access fees that  
> have appeared on the bills of customers who don't have data plans  
> but accidentally initiate data access by hitting a button on their  
> phones. Verizon says that as of a few months ago, it doesn't charge  
> when a customer starts a data service then quickly turns it off.
>
> The Plain Dealer in Cleveland tapped into a vein of frustration  
> among Verizon customers in columns on the issue in August.
> FCC to Verizon Wireless: Explain why termination fees doubled | courier-journal.com 
>  | The Courier-Journal (4 December 2009)
> http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20091204/BUSINESS/91204017/1008/NEWS01/FCC+to+Verizon+Wireless++Explain+why+termination+fees+doubled
> http://snipurl.com/tkf3i



-------------------------------------------
Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now
RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/
Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com