July 10, 2008 Verizon to Pay $21 Million to Settle Suit Over Fees
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/business/10verizon.html?ref=business&pagewanted=print SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Verizon Wireless has agreed to pay $21 million to settle a lawsuit filed by customers in California upset with the companys early termination fees, a lawyer in the case said Wednesday. Many details of the settlement still need to be worked out and authorized by the Alameda County Superior Court, the lawyer, Alan Plutzik, said. We are recovering cash that will be available to Verizon mobile phone customers who paid fees to end their contracts early, Mr. Plutzik said. He said it was unclear how many Verizon customers would be eligible to share in the settlement, a decision that would be up to the judge. A spokesman for Verizon Communications could not be reached for comment late Wednesday. Telecommunications companies charge early termination fees that can range from $150 to $225 when customers cancel their service contracts before they expire. Wireless companies have said they must charge the fees to recover the cost of cellphones, which they subsidize when they sign up customers for long-term service contracts. Customers of six companies sued the carriers in 2006 in Alameda County Superior Court, saying that the fees violated California law. ================================ George Antunes, Political Science Dept University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204 Voice: 713-743-3923 Fax: 713-743-3927 antunes at uh dot edu ******************************* * POST TO [EMAIL PROTECTED] * ******************************* Medianews mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
