Verizon Wireless Confirms $2 Fee for Making One-Time Payments

You can pay your bills via ACH from your bank's web site, and then it's just an electronic check. That's how I pay all of my bills.

There doesn't need to be anything automatic. You can receive a paper bill, examine it for any billing errors, then go into your bank's online bill payment tool, and schedule a payment for the exact date and amount you choose. You have full control and you're not handing any extra info to the biller (Verizon.) It's just an electronic check. It's much faster and easier than writing a paper check, without losing any control.