Verizon settles education app billing flap
Verizon customers won't be locked out of a popular education communication smartphone app after all.
Makers of the Remind app had warned users who were also Verizon customers that the free version wouldn't be available beginning next month because of a billing dispute with the phone carrier.
The imbroglio between the tech company and Verizon became a trending Twitter topic a few weeks ago when Remind officials urged educators and students to complain to Verizon about a billing increase that would have increased the tech company's annual payment to the carrier by millions of dollars.
The app is popular among teachers, students and parents as a way of keeping up-to-date with classroom assignments and important activities. Teachers can send out mass text messages to classes with details on upcoming exams or reminders about coursework.
There are more than 97,000 regular users of the app in Illinois alone.
"Your voices have been heard," Remind CEO Brian Grey announced Friday. "I'm thrilled to announce that, thanks entirely to you, we have heard from Verizon that they don't have plans to change the fee structure applicable to Remind for (text) messaging."
Verizon officials touted the settlement as another example of the carrier's commitment to education technology.
"We understand how important this service is to our customers and we're committed to ensuring that a free messaging option remains available now and going forward," a company news release stated Friday.