Carrier $30 Carrier Upgrade fee with iPhone Upgrade Program?

[x-evil-x]

So they basically do it just to make people pay the $30 upgrade. Very nice. I never thought I would miss the good old days of carrier subsidies. As someone who likes to get a new phone every year, it's getting harder and harder to justify paying $50/month for the rest of my life just to carry a new phone (my choice, I know). And then they nickel and dime you with these bs fees that are clearly nothing more than a money grab. This industry is ripe for a disrupter to come in and change the way things are done.

I feel like with this xs max coming from an X I wont want to upgrade every year or two now. im thinking 3-5 now. phones are just at that level of greatness now. Before the 6s they still needed improving. The X I had for a year is blazing fast especially on beta ios12
[doublepost=1536936241][/doublepost]

Yeah, its really getting ridiculous now. I have been able to upgrade yearly since the 3G. Originally because AT&T offered the primary a yearly upgrade, then when they took that away, early upgrade discount and now IUP. This might be the last year that I do the IUP, which is making me question my device choice. I was hesitant on getting the Max, because although I love my Plus, its slightly too large. So I figured I would get the Xs and if I don't like it, upgrade in a year. Need to rethink my plan now.

While $30 is not a lot, to me its the principle behind the matter. AT&T is making $30 for absolutely nothing. But yes, the cost of phones going up every single year is also giving me pause. When I first started the IUP, its $36 a month for the middle tier 6s. Last year it was $45 for the middle tier 8Plus and now its $56 for the middle tier Xs. So $11 more a month for a "smaller" phone. Its only a matter of time until the entire industry, carriers and manufacturers are disrupted.

it will be soon trust me. less and less people will be upgrading now. just watch the change over the next few years.
Just think about why apple is selling the 8's and 7's still.
I think they know that less and less people will be upgrading so the raising costs will justify them losing money every year when people arent upgrading as often. Tech is just that good now that phones are very capable, dont lag and act like real computers. They also changed the battery settings so they dont slow down phones that was one more thing that kept people upgrading was they thought their phones where slowing down. That wont be happening anymore

 

[psywzrd]

While $30 is not a lot, to me its the principle behind the matter. AT&T is making $30 for absolutely nothing.

Same here - it's not about the $30. It's about them charging us for something when they really aren't doing anything to earn it - it's just an obnoxious fee with no justification. It should already be included in the exorbitant prices we are paying for our service AND our devices. What's even more interesting to me is that with the DirecTV Protection Plans you are automatically eligible to upgrade to the latest receiver every two years. Why can't they implement something similar on the wireless side? I know the costs aren't the same but they should be able to come up with some type of similar solution that doesn't involve gouging loyal customers year after year.

I did contact AT&T via chat to see if my Signature Discount included waived upgrade fees (it does not); however, the rep did agree to waive mine - all I have to do is call in once it shows up on my bill and they will waive it. I asked if there was any way to avoid the upgrade fee moving forward and he said that's not possible unless your Signature Discount includes that benefit. I told him that I thought I could avoid the upgrade fee by ordering through Apple and he said that I could. I asked him if he was sure and he said yes. I don't think he is right but I saved a transcript of the chat.

 

[OcramSagev]

From prior experience of you swap the SIM card yourself with the sim free version they don’t charge the upgrade fee. Not sure if it’s still true.

Same here. This is what I did last year (Verizon) and I did not get charged the $30
1.- Once you receive the iPhone, take its SIM out and throw it away. Activating that SIM will cost you $30.
2.- Insert an inactive Verizon SIM [Not the one that came with your iPhone] (I've heard that using you old SIM works as well as yashz said)
3.- Activate.
4.- Insert your old SIM.
5.- No $30 upgrade.

 

[techspin]

This $30 is irritating. Don't they charge you once you receive the phone? I forget if I had a fee last year. Guess I'll find out if taking out the sim helps.

 

[i hate phones]

T-Mobile has never charged that on an iUP phone.

I was just about to ask where people are seeing this charge. I'm on T-Mobile so I guess that answers that

 

[ctbaz]

I was just about to ask where people are seeing this charge. I'm on T-Mobile so I guess that answers that

Well at least now. Lets see if they keep the whole Uncarrier thing going.

 

[Kahsheh]

I did not see a charge for tmobile.

 

[CVUSA]

Same here. This is what I did last year (Verizon) and I did not get charged the $30
1.- Once you receive the iPhone, take its SIM out and throw it away. Activating that SIM will cost you $30.
2.- Insert an inactive Verizon SIM [Not the one that came with your iPhone] (I've heard that using you old SIM works as well as yashz said)
3.- Activate.
4.- Insert your old SIM.
5.- No $30 upgrade.

Thinking to tell them my dog eat up the new SIM card

 

[psywzrd]

You know it’s funny that myself and others here have commented that it’s not about the $30; however, think about that same $30 from the carriers’ perspectives. That’s $30 from each of the MILLIONS of people who upgrade their phones every year. That is certainly significant, even to these big corporations. I’m all for capitalism, but this just doesn’t sit right with me. Makes me think about jumping to T-Mobile but that might be cutting off my nose to spite my face.

 

[Wags]

Same ole carrier money grab. It’s uneraned money and they want as many people just to pay without questioning. Last year didn’t charge. I think tried the year before.

 

[ActionableMango]

I never thought I would miss the good old days of carrier subsidies...This industry is ripe for a disrupter to come in and change the way things are done.

The upgrade fee wasn't always there, but it did start during the time of carrier subsidies. Those two things were not mutually exclusive.

T-Mobile is the disrupter. AT&T and Verizon charge the fee, but T-Mobile does not.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Same here. This is what I did last year (Verizon) and I did not get charged the $30
1.- Once you receive the iPhone, take its SIM out and throw it away. Activating that SIM will cost you $30.
2.- Insert an inactive Verizon SIM [Not the one that came with your iPhone] (I've heard that using you old SIM works as well as yashz said)
3.- Activate.
4.- Insert your old SIM.
5.- No $30 upgrade.

This doesn’t work, I tried it with my X last year. I took the sim out of my 6s and put it in my X then turned it on. It asked to be activated. I even put the new sim in my 6s and the phone worked fine without needing to activate the new sim. Verizon must have software on the phone that knows if it’s been activated or not. The only way to not get charged is to purchase sim free outright and swap sims, then Verizon doesn’t know. I was able to talk them down to $15 for the upgrade fee but, they wouldn’t waive it completely.

 

[psywzrd]

The upgrade fee wasn't always there, but it did start during the time of carrier subsidies. Those two things were not mutually exclusive.

T-Mobile is the disrupter. AT&T and Verizon charge the fee, but T-Mobile does not.

I know the fee existed during the subsidy days but it was at least a little more palatable - they were actually giving you something back then. Now it seems like all they’re doing is taking.

 

[ActionableMango]

I know the fee existed during the subsidy days but it was at least a little more palatable - they were actually giving you something back then. Now it seems like all they’re doing is taking.

I'm thinking more and more about switching to T-Mobile.

It's just hard for me because (1) AT&T works perfectly where I work and live, so switching from something that works 100% to an unknown is a bit risky. And (2), I've been with AT&T Wireless for a loooooooooong time--my first cellular phone with them included a wired handset and cradle in my car, LOL. Over 20 years ago I think. Those were the days.

 

[Pipper99]

I saw this, too. I didn't get charged a fee last year on the IUP with AT&T. Ugh.

"Master of the House"
"Charge 'em for the lice, extra for the mice
Two percent for looking in the mirror twice (Hand it over!)
Here a little slice, there a little cut
Three percent for sleeping with the window shut
When it comes to fixing prices
There are a lot of tricks I knows
How it all increases, all them bits and pieces
It's amazing how it grows!"

 

[psywzrd]

I'm thinking more and more about switching to T-Mobile.

It's just hard for me because (1) AT&T works perfectly where I work and live, so switching from something that works 100% to an unknown is a bit risky. And (2), I've been with AT&T Wireless for a loooooooooong time--my first cellular phone with them included a wired handset and cradle in my car, LOL. Over 20 years ago I think. Those were the days.

I get it. I have two close friends who live in the same area as me and they switched from AT&T to T-Mobile and the bloom is definitely off the rose. When they first switched they were bragging about how great TM was, yada yada, and now they're kind of like eh - they could take it or leave it. The pricing is a big difference for sure but I'm not prepared to give up better coverage for lower pricing, especially since i'm already used to paying ATT prices. And after seeing this article I'm even more hesitant to make the switch despite TM's cheaper pricing: https://globenewswire.com/news-relea...valuation.html

 

[bkends35]

On AT&T with Apple iUP. Didn't get charged last year. This year I did.

 

[Raist3001]

I was not charged an at&t upgrade fee last year when I upgraded to the iPhone X via the iUP.
If I am this year, I will refuse to pay. As should everyone.

 

[iphone1027]

I was not charged an at&t upgrade fee last year when I upgraded to the iPhone X via the iUP.
If I am this year, I will refuse to pay. As should everyone.

I’m definitely going to fight it like I did 2 years ago.

 

[psywzrd]

I’m definitely going to fight it like I did 2 years ago.

Just as an FYI it wasn't much of a fight for me; in fact, I didn't even have to ask them to give me a credit for it. I can't imagine them not refunding it if you ask, especially if you're a long-time customer in good standing. And now that I have it in writing that I should never have to pay an upgrade fee when I order through Apple, they shouldn't ever charge me moving forward. If they do, they will certainly be hearing from me. I hate to be like that, but I work too hard for my money to just give it away.

 

[OcramSagev]

This doesn’t work, I tried it with my X last year. I took the sim out of my 6s and put it in my X then turned it on. It asked to be activated. I even put the new sim in my 6s and the phone worked fine without needing to activate the new sim. Verizon must have software on the phone that knows if it’s been activated or not. The only way to not get charged is to purchase sim free outright and swap sims, then Verizon doesn’t know. I was able to talk them down to $15 for the upgrade fee but, they wouldn’t waive it completely.

what you described is the OPPOSITE of what I explained so no wonder you got charged.

I said "Throw away the evil sim that came with your iPhone as soon as you get the phone" and you did not do that!

As soon as the VZW network sees the ICCID of the "evil" SIM, it will activate it -- this will trigger the upgrade fee. You didn't throw away the "evil" SIM and on top of this you you inserted it in your old 6s phone and allowed the VZW network to see the ICCID of the evil SIM. The trick is to never allow the VZW network to see that evil SIM.

Last yr, SIM-Free iPhones were not available on the 1st day or via IUP. On top of this, non-VZW people wanted the VZW phone because of its Qualcomm modem and that's why I used the workaround I explained. This year, the situation is different: SIM free phones are available on the 2nd week of sales, IUP includes SIM free phones and all phones have Intel modems so just get the SIM free and problem solved.

 

[psywzrd]

But if you don't get the sim-free version (ie: you get it through the AT&T Next plan like I did) there is no way to avoid triggering the upgrade fee because you HAVE to activate the phone with the sim it ships with. Using the sim from our current phones will not work.

 

[Pipper99]

Same here. This is what I did last year (Verizon) and I did not get charged the $30
1.- Once you receive the iPhone, take its SIM out and throw it away. Activating that SIM will cost you $30.
2.- Insert an inactive Verizon SIM [Not the one that came with your iPhone] (I've heard that using you old SIM works as well as yashz said)
3.- Activate.
4.- Insert your old SIM.
5.- No $30 upgrade.

Regarding Step 2, are you saying to put a new, inactive SIM in (I have a couple of them lying around), or can I put the currently active SIM from my current phone X in the new device?

Thanks for the info!

 

[BugeyeSTI]

what you described is the OPPOSITE of what I explained so no wonder you got charged.

I said "Throw away the evil sim that came with your iPhone as soon as you get the phone" and you did not do that!

As soon as the VZW network sees the ICCID of the "evil" SIM, it will activate it -- this will trigger the upgrade fee. You didn't throw away the "evil" SIM and on top of this you you inserted it in your old 6s phone and allowed the VZW network to see the ICCID of the evil SIM. The trick is to never allow the VZW network to see that evil SIM.

Last yr, SIM-Free iPhones were not available on the 1st day or via IUP. On top of this, non-VZW people wanted the VZW phone because of its Qualcomm modem and that's why I used the workaround I explained. This year, the situation is different: SIM free phones are available on the 2nd week of sales, IUP includes SIM free phones and all phones have Intel modems so just get the SIM free and problem solved.

No, the sim in my x wasn’t even tried until AFTER I put in the sim from my 6S. I threw it on the counter so it wasn’t put in the 6S until after I saw that the x still needed activation. I even stuck it in my 6S again and it worked fine. That’s when I took the new sim and put it in the 6S and it worked fine also. The phone knew it hadn’t been activated no matter what sim was in it. What’s the difference in putting it on the table or putting it in the trash? It was never used until after I saw that the old sim wanted to be activated in the X. A matter of fact, the sim in my X is still the one out of the 6S

 

[Mlrollin91]

what you described is the OPPOSITE of what I explained so no wonder you got charged.

I said "Throw away the evil sim that came with your iPhone as soon as you get the phone" and you did not do that!

As soon as the VZW network sees the ICCID of the "evil" SIM, it will activate it -- this will trigger the upgrade fee. You didn't throw away the "evil" SIM and on top of this you you inserted it in your old 6s phone and allowed the VZW network to see the ICCID of the evil SIM. The trick is to never allow the VZW network to see that evil SIM.

Last yr, SIM-Free iPhones were not available on the 1st day or via IUP. On top of this, non-VZW people wanted the VZW phone because of its Qualcomm modem and that's why I used the workaround I explained. This year, the situation is different: SIM free phones are available on the 2nd week of sales, IUP includes SIM free phones and all phones have Intel modems so just get the SIM free and problem solved.

AT&T will not activate the phone unless you activate it with the SIM included in the phone. They call it "security" but it doesn't matter if you take it out and throw it away before first turning on the phone, the phone will not activate. You cannot put in your old SIM card and use it without activating it with the included Sim first. There is literally no way around it. AT&T will no override it. They say its Apple's doing, and Apple says its AT&T. This all changed last year.