Verizon Backs Down On Charging $2 Bill Payment Fee

CHICAGO (CBS) -- One day after announcing it planned to start charging customers $2 to pay their bill online or over the phone, Verizon on Friday decided to ditch the idea.

"Verizon Wireless has decided it will not institute the fee for online or telephone single payments that was announced earlier this week," Verizon said in a statement.

"The company made the decision in response to customer feedback about the plan."

That feedback largely blasted the idea.

The new fee was to start Jan. 15, and would have applied to customers every time they paid their wireless bills online or directly over the phone.

The company urged customers to avoid the charge by paying via electronic check, enrolling in AutoPay, or using their own bank's bill payment website.