Outages, fees outrage Verizon customers

Verizon Wireless has built its reputation on the quality of its cellular network, touting its reliability over rival AT&T Inc., but a series of outages this month threatens the largest U.S. wireless carrier’s image. But Thursday, Verizon Wireless said its engineers had fixed the third outage in December for its new high-speed data network. Some customers had complained they were getting slower connections or no signal at all. Verizon Wireless further frustrated customers by disclosing it would impose a $2 fee on those paying their bills by phone or on Verizon’s website starting Jan. 15. The company said it was necessary to help provide “single-bill payment options.” Customers can avoid the new fee by paying electronically through their bank or by mailing a check. Customers paying with a credit card can avoid the fee, but only those who sign up to have the card automatically charged. Some customers cried foul over the fee, which effectively amounts to a $24 annual surcharge. “I’m getting a little tired of businesses figuring out ways to get their hands in my pockets,” wrote one customer on a Verizon forum. Verizon Wireless is considered to have a head start in offering products that run on its fourth-generation network, a point emphasized in its advertisements. But this week’s outage was the fourth time this year Verizon Wireless’s 4G network went down. In each case, Verizon offered little explanation for the outages, which were generally resolved within about 24 hours. To read more, click here.