David Pogue Takes On Verizon Over Ridiculous $1.99 Charges

Pogue calls out Verizon for charging nearly every user a frivolous $1.99 charge.

“Here’s how it works. They configure the phones to have multiple easily hit keystrokes to launch ‘Get it now’ or ‘Mobile Web’—usually a single key like an arrow key. Often we have no idea what key we hit, but up pops one of these screens. The instant you call the function, they charge you the data fee. We cancel these unintended requests as fast as we can hit the End key, but it doesn’t matter; they’ve told me that ANY data–even one kilobyte–is billed as 1MB. The damage is done.

Sounds totally believable and incredibly lame.  But apparently it isn’t just Verizon who does this.  Pogue later updated his post:

(UPDATE: A reader notes that his AT&T phone has exactly the same buttons and he gets charged exactly the same $2 for an accidental press. The $350 termination fee is a Verizon-only element, but the $2 accidental-data charges may actually be industry-wide. Readers: Can you confirm that it’s the same deal on Sprint and T-Mobile?)

A bit weak given the print version of the story targets Verizon alone. AT&T should get its ass handed to it as well (as should other offenders).

via Verizon: How Much Do You Charge Now? – Pogue’s Posts Blog – NYTimes.com.