If some newly-leaked Verizon Wireless screenshots are accurate, some of you Big Red customers may see your bill go up by a couple bucks next month. According to images sent to Droid-Life, Verizon might implement a $2 "convenience fee" beginning January 15th that will be charged to customers paying their bill either online or over the phone. The fee, Verizon says, is meant to help it keep those payment methods up and running. How can you avoid ponying up the extra cash each month? Setting up AutoPay is one way, as is paying by electronic check or by bringing your payment into your local neighborhood Verizon store. Lastly, you could always go the old-fashioned route and mail a paper check or money order into Verizon.

Certainly allowing a customer to pay their bill over the telephone or online is convenient, but it's tough to imagine that many Verizon subscribers are going to be thrilled about being charged just to pay their bill, especially when the "convenience fee" is two whole dollars. It's good to know that there are a few ways to avoid the fee, but one has to wonder if it's really so much more expensive for Verizon to maintain online payment services compared to accepting paper checks or having customers come into a store and pay that way. What do you all make of this news? Anyone thinking about dusting off that old checkbook?

UPDATE: The fee is now nice and official, as Verizon has announced that a $2 convenience fee will charged to customers that make single bill payments either online or over the phone. Verizon says that the fee will allow it to continue to support those payment methods. The charge, which will be instituted beginning January 15th, can be avoided by paying a bill using the following methods:

Electronic check online (My Verizon Online, My Verizon Mobile/Handset). Fee waived.

Electronic check via telephone. Fee waived.

Enrollment in AutoPay using credit/debit/ATM card or electronic check; fee does not apply

Online from the customer’s home-banking service provider website; fee does not apply.

Credit/debit/ATM card, electronic check or cash at a Bill Payment Kiosk, Panel or with a representative at a Verizon Wireless Communications Store; fee does not apply.

Use of a Verizon Wireless Gift Card or Verizon Wireless device Rebate Card to pay a bill in-store, online or by telephone; fee does not apply

Paper check or money order mailed to the VZW remit address on customer’s bill; fee does not apply.

The full press relese from Verizon is below.

Customers Encouraged to Use Options to Avoid Single Payment Fee That Starts Jan. 15

Customer Inquiries

For customer inquiries, please call 800-922-0204 or go to

Contact Us

12/29/2011

Verizon Wireless offers customers numerous free and simple payment options and we encourage customers to use those options. Starting January 15, a new $2 payment convenience fee will be instituted for customers who make single bill payments online or by telephone. There are a couple of exceptions. See below. The fee will help allow us to continue to support these single bill payment options in these channels and is designed to address costs incurred by us for only those customers who choose to make single bill payments in alternate payment channels (online, mobile, telephone). It is waived for those who pay by electronic check or enroll in AutoPay -- we encourage customers to use those or other payment options that incur no fees. [See complete list below.] The telephone and online single payment fee, which takes effect January 15, will be disclosed up-front and throughout the transaction.

There are numerous payment options available to our customers where the fee is waived or where no fee applies. They include:

Electronic check online (My Verizon Online, My Verizon Mobile/Handset). Fee waived.

Electronic check via telephone. Fee waived.

Enrollment in AutoPay using credit/debit/ATM card or electronic check; fee does not apply

Online from the customer’s home-banking service provider website; fee does not apply.

Credit/debit/ATM card, electronic check or cash at a Bill Payment Kiosk, Panel or with a representative at a Verizon Wireless Communications Store; fee does not apply.

Use of a Verizon Wireless Gift Card or Verizon Wireless device Rebate Card to pay a bill in-store, online or by telephone; fee does not apply

Paper check or money order mailed to the VZW remit address on customer’s bill; fee does not apply.

Via Droid-Life