Verizon has a special new fee for you if you don’t sign up for a long distance calling plan. $2 for not making long distance calls. The new $2 fee is assessed when a customer with a no-frills calling plan doesn’t make more than $2 worth of calls per month. The News & Observer talked to one customer who’d just discovered the charge on his bill:

“Even though I don’t have a plan with them, they say I still have the ability to make a long-distance call if I ever need to, so I have to pay them $2 a month?” Bius said. “What am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to pay them $2 for no reason?”

According to the article there is a way to stop the free—you just have to pay Verizon to shut off your long distance.

[North Carolina] State regulators require phone companies to provide basic local-phone service. The phone companies have to give customers a way out of the new monthly fee — but they will charge another fee to eliminate the first fee. For instance, if Bius pays a $6.75 charge to have his long-distance access disconnected, Verizon will end the monthly $2 fee, but block his outgoing long-distance calls.

Wait, couldn’t he just switch to VOIP…oh hmm.. —MEGHANN MARCO

Not calling causes a fee [News & Observer] (Thanks, Will!)
(Photo:Jay Adan)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.