Verizon Explains ETF Hike

Filed in archive Information About , Mobile on December 19, 2009

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Verizon Wireless has responded to the FCC's request for an explanation of its increased early termination fee.

"Verizon defended its early termination charges for cellphone contracts Friday, telling federal regulators that the high fees help the poor by making it more affordable for them to access the mobile Internet," notes Wired's Ryan Singel.

"It also says the relatively mild prorated fee, which still costs $120 with just a month left in a contract, is necessary," Electronista notes. "Many of those who buy phones like the Droid would still result in a loss without the extra month or more of service charges. A customer who leaves halfway through a two-year plan typically costs Verizon about $460, according to the letter."

"We were hoping that we would get at least a lowering of the ETF out of all this, but it seems that Verizon is holding strong to its fee increase," writes CNET's Nicole Lee. "It's the FCC's move next, to see if we can get any kind of reprieve at all."

More here from PC Mag ... more here from Ubergizmo ... and more here from GigaOM.

Many of those who buy phones like the Blackberry Curve would still result