Jim Gerace

Is Verizon’s New Early-Termination Fee Anti-Consumer?

John Paczkowski in News on November 6, 2009 at 11:06 am PT

Beginning Nov. 15, Verizon subscribers looking to get out of their smart-phone contracts early will pay $350 for the privilege. That early-termination fee is double the current one, but Verizon insists it’s justified because of the higher prices of today’s phones. An interesting move for a carrier that just last year agreed to pay $21 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by California consumers over the very early-termination fees it is now increasing.

Verizon to Apple: Can You Hear Me Now? Apple to Verizon: Not on That CDMA Network…

John Paczkowski in News on April 27, 2009 at 7:49 am PT

It was like the Golden State Warriors opting to pass on Larry Bird in the ’78 draft. Verizon Wireless was offered the chance to be the exclusive carrier of Apple’s iPhone in 2005, but refused it, put off by Cupertino’s “rich financial terms” and other demands. Apple had reportedly asked for a rich percentage of the monthly services fees as well as complete control of iPhone distribution. Four years and 13.7 million iPhones later, Verizon is reportedly reconsidering that assessment.