After a customer backlash, Verizon Wireless is dropping a plan to start charging $2 for every payment subscribers make over the phone or online with their credit cards.

In a statement on its website Friday, it says "customer feedback" prompted the decision to drop the "convenience fee" it wanted to introduce on Jan. 15.

Verizon, the country's largest cellphone company, wanted to steer people to electronic check payments and automatic credit card payments.

A petition on Change.org against the fees had gathered more than 57,000 names on Friday afternoon.

An informal witn.com poll showed 66% of customers said they would drop Verizon before paying the fee.

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Verizon Wireless, the country's largest cellphone company, is introducing a $2 fee for every payment subscribers make over the phone or online with their credit cards.

The company says this "convenience fee" will be introduced Jan. 15.
The fee won't apply to electronic check payments or to automatic credit card payments set up through Verizon's AutoPay system. Paying by credit card in a Verizon store will also be free, as will mailing a check.

Other carriers have tried to get subscribers to move to automatic payments through other means. AT&T Inc. offers a $10 gift card for those who set up AutoPay. Sprint Nextel Corp. charges subscribers who have caps on the fees they can rack up each month. Those people are charged $5 monthly unless they set up autopay.