Verizon To Pay $78 Million Or More Over ‘Phantom’ Data Fees

Verizon Wireless today announced that they will pay at least $77.8 million over disputed “phantom” data fees. As part of the deal $25 million will be paid to the US treasury, while an additional $52.8 million will go directly to 15 million customers who were charged the fees from November 2007 through present day.

According to Electronista:

The refunds have already started and should take place within the next 45 days.

Along with the payments, Verizon must also put in place a data “Task Force” in the next month. The new group will look for data issues and help resolve them as data disputes arise. Verizon must also provide better data use information to phone users and provide better training to their employees so they can assist customers with data issues.

Under the plan Verizon must also allow users to block data completely.

It should also be noted that the $52.8 million isn’t a “hard limit” and may be raised even higher if further disputes are discovered.

When asked about charges to non-data customers, Verizon acknowledge that some pay-as-you-go customers received $2 charges when their phones sent “data acknowledgment” messages without their permission.

Customers were also charged for visiting sites that were suppose to be charge free, another issue Verizon has worked and is working to resolve.

What do you think about the new controls being enforced by the FCC? I literally just got off the phone with AT&T after my mom’s phone (she’s on my plan) was connecting and receiving $2 charges for a simple 1kb connect fee when she accidentally pushed the wrong button…absolutely ridiculous.