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Verizon today announced that as of April 22 it will initiate a $30 upgrade fee for current customers moving to new devices.
On April 22, Verizon Wireless is implementing a $30 upgrade fee for existing customers purchasing new mobile equipment at a discounted price with a two-year contract. This fee will help us continue to provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect which includes Wireless Workshops, online educational tools, and consultations with experts who provide advice and guidance on devices that are more sophisticated than ever.
Verizon is the last of the major U.S. carriers to add a device upgrade fee, a secondary revenue stream carriers justify by citing costs associated with setting up new devices and updating account information. Sprint and AT&T previously charged $18 device upgrade fees, but Sprint doubled its fee to $36 last September and AT&T followed suit back in February.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)we are being nickeled and dimed to death by all these companies...
This fee will help us continue to provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect which includes Wireless Workshops, online educational tools, and consultations with experts who provide advice and guidance on devices that are more sophisticated than ever.
Here's an idea, stop these programs, cut the fee, and direct these people to Apple's support.
So these upgrade fees aren't charged when you are a new customer? What's the incentive to stay with your current provider then??
When you're new they call it an activation fee.
so I am wondering why the carriers don't cut the monthly fees after our contract is up?
We sign a 2 year contract to make sure that our new fancy phone is subsidized, but once that period is over, shouldn't the subsidy payment be discontinued?
The whole thing is a racket.
Maybe I'll switch carriers every 2 years.
They'll just hit you with a new-customer "activation fee" instead of an existing-customer "upgrade fee." You can't escape it.
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Hmm....Glad I have AT&T...never had any issues and they never try these kind of things.
Uh, AT&T has always charged an upgrade fee. It used to be $18. Now it's $36.