When you're new they call it an activation fee.
Ah yes... The famous activation fee...a fee for inserting you into a system of their own creation that enables them to continue to extract money from you on a monthly basis...
Classic...
When you're new they call it an activation fee.
It's the way it is here man. It ties in with the theme that regulating industries somehow sullies our capitalistic spirit. Adds to the indecisiveness and lack of progress with moving the country forward.
Where is the antitrust regulator when one really needs it?
100%. Never had any extra fees tacked on anything..Had AT&T since 1999 and don't ever see leaving them.. Verizon does online bill paying fees, etc..seems they want to nickel and dime you everywhere.
Been with AT&T since 2002 (ATTWS->Cingular->AT&T) and I've never once paid the upgrade fee like a few others here. I have always had the upgrade fee waived with a phone call to customer service and almost always was easy to get the rep to waive it. Sometimes, I've had to make a second or third call to get a rep that was willing to do it. The last time however, was as terrible as this.
If the fee is being used to provide service and support in regards to an upgrade, what about the folks who just go to the Verizon or Apple website and purchase a new phone with their credit card? There's no "service and support" involved!
There shouldn't be a fee involved in that circumstance!
I have never EVER paid an activation fee because it can be waived by the staff at the store. If they say no... I threaten to go ahead an look elsewhere for services. They usually cave instantly. The one time AT&T wouldn't budge... I called another AT&T store and had them agree to waive it if I drove over there. Guess who quickly changed their tune. They want their commission.
...
100%. Never had any extra fees tacked on anything..Had AT&T since 1999 and don't ever see leaving them.. Verizon does online bill paying fees, etc..seems they want to nickel and dime you everywhere.
America is the only country in the world that charges all these bloody fees. They even make you pay some ridiculous amount of money for the SIM card. Everywhere else in the world you get your sim for free, and it's free to replace if you lose/break/eat it.
I miss Three UK. Hell, even Russia's mobile networks are better, as long as you live in a big city.
My point too.
Basically, they (the central office) want you to pay the activation/upgrade fee but they (local stores - mostly employees) want their commission. So if you play it right, it's them against them!
I've never had to pay for a replacement SIM with ATT....