Verizon Wireless is reportedly set to charge customers an additional 40 cents per month beginning in March to cover ongoing local number portability costs, according to published reports. The increase will be on top of the five-cents-per-month “federal regulatory fee” the carrier currently charges customers.
Verizon Wireless, which said earlier this year that it would hold off on charging customers any LNP-related fees until after the Nov. 24 mandate, and ongoing LNP costs would be around 10 cents to 15 cents per customer, reported it has spent $60 million to date on LNP upgrades to its network, and the additional fee should generate approximately $170 million per year.
Most of Verizon Wireless’ competitors have been charging customers LNP-related fees ranging from 32 cents to $1.75 per month.