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AT&T $36 "Upgrade Fee"

skywavesli

skywavesli

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 19, 2008
116
2
Does everyone have to pay this fee?

I'm getting this on my order, but don't see any "upgrade fees" on the receipts of the previous iPhones I have ordered.

Thanks!
 
Yes, this is now the standard AT&T Upgrade "Activation" Fee. It used to be $18 but they recently doubled it to $36 much like how they doubled the ETF.
 
Yes its a standard fee now. Calling them once I get my bill to have it waived.. just mention being a valued att customer for xx amount of years. Usually works.
 
terryh703 said:
Yes its a standard fee now. Calling them once I get my bill to have it waived.. just mention being a valued att customer for xx amount of years. Usually works.
Click to expand...

Sounds good. Thanks for the heads up!
 
if it wasn't for the iPhone AT&T would be, they are banking $$ signing up new customers just for the iPhone, ridiculous plan rates and upgrade fees
 
terryh703 said:
Yes its a standard fee now. Calling them once I get my bill to have it waived.. just mention being a valued att customer for xx amount of years. Usually works.
Click to expand...

skywavesli said:
Sounds good. Thanks for the heads up!
Click to expand...

Wait.

Is the $36 billed to the phone bill? Is that how you get AT&T to waive it?

Maybe that's why I didn't see it on my Apple iPhone receipts.
 
if it doesnt work threaten to cancel and the retention people will waive it and probably give u even more credit. They hate to lose customers!

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skywavesli said:
Wait.

Is the $36 billed to the phone bill? Is that how you get AT&T to waive it?

Maybe that's why I didn't see it on my Apple iPhone receipts.
Click to expand...

Yes, it will appear on your next bill.
 
It's an annoying fee, even if I can get it waived by calling. It doesn't make much sense either, especially if you are off contract/new customer. It's obviously another money grab by AT&T, as if their prices weren't already high enough.
 
I may try to get these refunded. They didn't give me any "credit" for the months all of my phones were "off contract" after all.
 
AT&T and "valued customer" is like an oxymoron.
The $36 charge winds up on your bill after you've had the phone for 2 weeks I believe. They want to give it the time for a customer to get the phone and return it if they're unhappy. AT&T used to waive this fee with a quick call, I hear they don't now. Verizon does though.
 
jessica. said:
AT&T and "valued customer" is like an oxymoron.
The $36 charge winds up on your bill after you've had the phone for 2 weeks I believe. They want to give it the time for a customer to get the phone and return it if they're unhappy. AT&T used to waive this fee with a quick call, I hear they don't now. Verizon does though.
Click to expand...

I just tried out a Galaxy S3 last week. I tried to return it 3 days later. The Best Buy guy told me after 3 days (day of purchase is day 1) AT&T won't refund the $36. And my bill closed on the same day I bought the phone, and the $36 was on there already. I kept the S3 until the 12th and got Best Buy to price match a $99 4S for my mom to avoid the double activation fee. In the end, I had to contact AT&T about some other billing questions and they gave me a credit for that $36 anyway.
 
randy98mtu said:
I just tried out a Galaxy S3 last week. I tried to return it 3 days later. The Best Buy guy told me after 3 days (day of purchase is day 1) AT&T won't refund the $36. And my bill closed on the same day I bought the phone, and the $36 was on there already. I kept the S3 until the 12th and got Best Buy to price match a $99 4S for my mom to avoid the double activation fee. In the end, I had to contact AT&T about some other billing questions and they gave me a credit for that $36 anyway.
Click to expand...

Makes some sense but I won't let Best Buy tell me what AT&T is going to do for me. It is good that you got it worked out.
 
jessica. said:
Makes some sense but I won't let Best Buy tell me what AT&T is going to do for me. It is good that you got it worked out.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wasn't going to get the Galaxy. I told the guy I didn't want to pay the $35 restock fee. He quickly says "We don't have a restock fee. You have 30 days!" Then when I go to return it, a different guy tells me about the 3 days (on day 4) I said nobody told me and he says "It was in the contract you signed." He had me, but seriously, the sales guy knew the situation, that I wasn't decided, why wouldn't he point that out??? I decided it wasn't worth fighting with them so just waited till after the announcement. In the end, it was easy enough to get the 4S for my mom and used her upgrade to pre-order my phone. Now I just have to handle the hardware swaps and I'm good. :) And I probably won't buy another phone from Best Buy. I'll stick to Apple or AT&T directly.
 
The $36 is pretty well standard now and the salespeople have LESS flexibility to take it off like they did in the past!
 
Try calling to have it waived.. I have a fan account, and was just promised a one time courtesy waiving the fees on BOTH the phones I just bought. Call when I see the charge and they'll credit my account.
Works every time :D
 
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