Verizon is working to establish new in-person bill payment centers after New York regulators today suspended a major provider of this service to Verizon customers at hundreds of locations in New York and New England.
The New York State Banking Department today suspended the license of CashPoint Network Services Inc. for certain performance failures, and Verizon terminated its agreement with the company, which had operated payment agent services in metropolitan New York and New England. CashPoint had operated 300 community-based outlets in New York and 300 more in New England.
Customers paying their bills at CashPoint sites would generally pay no more than $1 for the transaction. The company also had operated six Verizon-owned payment facilities in the New York City area, and those will remain closed until a new agent agreement is signed.
"We know this development will cause inconvenience to many customers in New York City and New England," said Joan Simpson, vice president of finance operations for Verizon. "We have a number of viable options for those customers to use over the next several weeks so that they can pay their bills while we establish new payment agent agreements in the area."
Throughout both the New York metropolitan area and New England a number of other stores and agencies can accept telephone bill payments, sometimes for a fee. In New England, Price Chopper retail outlets in Massachusetts and Vermont are authorized to accept Verizon bill payments. Payments can also be made in person at the Verizon Plus store on 125th St. in Harlem.
Other options for paying bills include automated payment by phone, online or via mail.
