• Verizon to Charge $30 iPhone Upgrade Fee

    by
    Michael Essany
    Published on 2012-04-12 12:41 AM
    22 Comments Comments


    It's a charge many iPhone lovers will surely balk at. Verizon Wireless today announced that it will add on a whopping $30 surcharge for customers who upgrade their mobile device.

    Beginning April 22nd, Verizon Wireless will charge the fee for device upgrades in addition to the price they pay for the new device. A rep for the company tells Reuters that the added charge will help the carrier "provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect."

    According to some of the analysts who have weighed in on the matter, Verizon's move will all but certainly not be welcomed by customers, but it may not be enough to dramatically curtail iPhone upgrades. More importantly to Verizon, however, is that the new fee could add up to an additional $1 billion for Verizon annually.

    So although upgrade charges are, in fact, quite common (Sprint Nextel, for example, charges a $36 upgrade fee), they are never popular or fatal. And that's acceptable to Verizon, which seems to be less concerned with what's popular and more concerned with what's profitable as the carrier looks make a bigger bank out of the top smartphone on the market today.

    Source: Reuters
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Verizon to Charge $30 iPhone Upgrade Fee started by Michael Essany View original post
    1. Categories:
    2. iPhone,
    3. Apple
    Comments 22 Comments
    1. Cokeman's Avatar
      Cokeman - 2012-04-12, 12:51 AM
      It ticks me off when they charge to renew a contract. I've never paid a activation fee (as AT&T calls it). I've gotten it removed every time. There is no reason for them to charge me to continue paying them for their services for an additional 2 years.

      "provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect."
      What...screwing us over?
    1. Norb's Avatar
      Norb - 2012-04-12, 12:56 AM
      So after getting huge lash-back when they were going to charge a convenience fee for paying online they take another stab at another different fee? Fuk Verizon, you can have their service and they will still find a way to charge you more for their already overpriced service. Soon they will disable the iPhone GPS, App Store and headphone port and charge to enable each one or offer the "Multimedia Package" which will enable all three for a low price of $20 a month.
    1. *T*'s Avatar
      *T* - 2012-04-12, 01:02 AM
      I'm beginning to think that phone companies are more evil than Goldman Sachs.

      Remember the backlash at that $1 fee for something? Consumers unite, we can change the world! Loljk, that's a load of bs. No one can keep a company from their money.
    1. drenline's Avatar
      drenline - 2012-04-12, 01:09 AM
      Total BS on Verizon's part.
    1. n00neimp0rtant's Avatar
      n00neimp0rtant - 2012-04-12, 01:10 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Norb View Post
      Soon they will disable the iPhone GPS, App Store and headphone port and charge to enable each one or offer the "Multimedia Package" which will enable all three for a low price of $20 a month.
      I want to buy you a steak dinner
    1. steve-z17's Avatar
      steve-z17 - 2012-04-12, 01:14 AM
      Another reason I'll never move to Verizon unless I had no other choice...on the other hand, not having service might be better than going with Verizon
    1. iPod's Avatar
      iPod - 2012-04-12, 02:09 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by steve-z17 View Post
      Another reason I'll never move to Verizon unless I had no other choice...on the other hand, not having service might be better than going with Verizon
      Um? Verizon's not the only carrier with an activation fee
      Edit:upgrade fee
    1. antado's Avatar
      antado - 2012-04-12, 02:23 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Norb View Post
      So after getting huge lash-back when they were going to charge a convenience fee for paying online they take another stab at another different fee? Fuk Verizon, you can have their service and they will still find a way to charge you more for their already overpriced service. Soon they will disable the iPhone GPS, App Store and headphone port and charge to enable each one or offer the "Multimedia Package" which will enable all three for a low price of $20 a month.
      Don't give them any more ideas
    1. steve-z17's Avatar
      steve-z17 - 2012-04-12, 03:00 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by ipodtouchman77 View Post
      Um? Verizon's not the only carrier with an activation fee
      Edit:upgrade fee
      Um! I know they're not the only carrier to do this, which is why I said it's ANOTHER reason why I wouldn't move over to them. There's plenty of other reasons why I wouldn't, this upgrade fee is just one more reason not to!
    1. rcm's Avatar
      rcm - 2012-04-12, 04:52 AM
      I'm in Puerto Rico, we had Verizon from 2000 to about 2005 and, and it was the worst cellphone company to have ever come here. Bad to almost no signal at all, ridiculous prices simply because where in an island and could not enjoy the same benefits of the states and some of the worst crappy cellphones ever and when a new cool cellphone came out we had to wait until it was a year old to have it here, not to mention that more than half the cellphone plans where unavailable due to "regional" issues (another word for shut up and be happy you have a cellphone from Verizon). I'm happy there gone and the fact that they need to charge people $30 activation fee just means there in trouble and desperate. Oh and Verizon, LEAVE THE CDMA NETWORK ALREADY and maybe you might get more costumers, people don't like to have a cool phone set up to their likes, just to have rendered useless because of your stupid cdma network.
    1. indyracer05's Avatar
      indyracer05 - 2012-04-12, 05:43 AM
      Selfish greedy bastards, **** verizon!!!!!!! My contract renewal with them is the 2nd week of May. I'm sorry but something has to change with theses carriers or I'll switch to pay as you go
    1. Roadw3's Avatar
      Roadw3 - 2012-04-12, 06:07 AM
      All these fees are getting ridiculous. AT&T upped the "upgrade" fee they already charged. How much money do they need to make? They want apple profits?
    1. Stryker1's Avatar
      Stryker1 - 2012-04-12, 07:20 AM
      Verizon wants to rip off its customers as bad ATT does. I am still shocked that ATT is unlocking phones. Truely amazing but ATT are still a-holes no matter how you look at it, Verizon is in the same boat now.

      Stryker
    1. Aehmlo's Avatar
      Aehmlo - 2012-04-12, 07:30 AM
      First AT&T doubles the upgrade fee, and now this. Man, I wish t-mobile had the iPhone.
    1. GellBrake'rrrr's Avatar
      GellBrake'rrrr - 2012-04-12, 07:36 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Cokeman View Post
      It ticks me off when they charge to renew a contract. I've never paid a activation fee (as AT&T calls it). I've gotten it removed every time. There is no reason for them to charge me to continue paying them for their services for an additional 2 years.

      "provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect."
      What...screwing us over?
      EXACTLY!!!! Hence why I moved to AT&T...... Well, mostly because they didn't carry the iPhone at the time. But still, I hated having to have them transport my contacts to a new phone when I can do it myself vs. stand in line at a phucking store.
    1. rvance's Avatar
      rvance - 2012-04-12, 07:58 AM
      Ok, so I just want to know if I have the 4S and the iPhone 5 comes out, can I get it for $200 and just pay the upgrade fee? Because if so I think that's a good deal instead of paying the $600. Although if I still need to pay the $600 and the upgrade, then yea, that's complete bs.
    1. proopps's Avatar
      proopps - 2012-04-12, 11:13 AM
      Fuk Verizon, you can have their service and they will still find a way to charge you more for their already overpriced service. Soon they will disable the iPhone GPS, App Store and headphone port and charge to enable each one or offer the "Multimedia Package" which will enable all three for a low price of $20 a month.[/QUOTE]

      Hilarious mate.......lol lol lol lol lmfao literally
    1. bigboyz's Avatar
      bigboyz - 2012-04-12, 01:43 PM
      Verizon seams to be leading the charge..don't think for one minute that others will not follow. The only provider that probably "does not NEED" to do this is the biggest = AT&T. At the same time this is not about need, its about creating a cushion and squeezing every red cent possible out of the iPhone. Most companies give you $$ towards an upgrade in service. I've had Tmo, Sprint, Cingular and AT&T. Notice there is no Verizon in there haha! I wouldn't want an iPhone that does not perform voice and data simultaneously. Already slacking on that front..now Verizon customers have to pay extra for a phone lacking advancements? YIKES..good luck with that!
    1. jonkjon's Avatar
      jonkjon - 2012-04-12, 01:55 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Cokeman View Post

      "provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect."
      What...screwing us over?

      Yup! That's what we've come to expect.....Their day is coming. Just like dial up providers of yesteryear that squeezed us for every dime they could, just like DirecTV and others that keep bumping up rates to consumers to cover their losses rather than listening to their customers. I hope they are putting their profits away for a rainy day, cuz it's about to rain up in here!
    1. cpotoso's Avatar
      cpotoso - 2012-04-12, 03:58 PM
      Just get a prepaid service and stop feeding these vampires. You know, it is not FUNDAMENTAL to be connected to the internet ALL THE TIME. You can have periods with no internet until you reach the next coffee shop/library/home. I pay exactly $100 (+ $8 in sales tax) per YEAR and find I rarely need to pay for extra time.
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