AT&T Doubles Upgrade Fee from $18 to $36! [Was: At&t - go screw yourself!]

[slippery-pete]

I am hating on AT&T because they're my carrier and I don't agree with this. I don't even agree with the $18 upgrade fee either. Especially when they DO NOTHING when I swap my sim to the new phone I just bought. If I was with any other carrier and they did this, I would have the same views.

I wonder how much AT&T is going to charge for unlocking my iPhone when they come out with that -

No happy with At&T? Simple solution, move to a new carrier...

 

[Stealthipad]

I wonder if this is considered a "policy change" so I can duck my etf.

We have been over this over and over and they have a right to change their fees, at will, and NOT be a cause to break your contract.

Your monthly bill will remain the same so get over it

You 99% need to stop your whining, pay your ETF and move on.

 

[Doc750]

I just need a 3G iPod touch. I am so done with cell contracts, it's not even funny.

 

[codeoflaw]

Petition was started. Help spread the word.

http://www.change.org/petitions/att-stop-the-increase-of-the-upgrade-fee-from-18-to-36

 

[lordofthereef]

That would makes sense, but that doesn't seem to be the intention of most of the 'I'm just going to buy it outright' comments. Most seem upset with AT&T, but still planning on staying.

True, by buying it outright, people wouldn't be strapped down to a contract... but, considering that the extra $400 is far more than the ETF, that's just as silly.

The only exception is if you are in between upgrades and have to buy it at full price anyway, but, if that was already the plan, it's not like this increased cost factored into your decision anyway.

The ETF is $350, isn't it? Once you factor in the upgrade fee, the difference is less than dinner for a single person at most places.

 

[cyks]

The ETF is $350, isn't it? Once you factor in the upgrade fee, the difference is less than dinner for a single person at most places.

$350 if you terminate your contract on the spot. Otherwise, it's goes down an additional $10 for each month of your service contract.

Considering the phone is useless to any other carrier, even those without a contract would likely stick around for a while before selling it off.

 

[lordofthereef]

$350 if you terminate your contract on the spot. Otherwise, it's goes down an additional $10 for each month of your service contract.

Considering the phone is useless to any other carrier, even those without a contract would likely stick around for a while before selling it off.

Well, most people are upgrading yearly, right? So $350 minus $120 = $230, plus the $30 some upgrade fee, that's $260. If you buy the phone outright, it will be an unlocked phone, so you are getting value there, if nowhere else, resale. I guess my point is that I disagree that buying outright is a bad way to go (though I have never personally done that), especially if you always sell your "old" phone off before getting new.

 

[tigress666]

If you are going to hate on AT&T for this, hate on all the major carriers in the US, and even most of the smaller ones. Nearly everyone charges an upgrade fee.

Yeah but 36 dollars? I mean I wasn't too upset when it was 18 dollars, that was like, you guys will make extra money where you can, whatever. But now almost 40 dollars? Just to give them a phantom fee?! That's ridiculous!

Petition was started. Help spread the word.

http://www.change.org/petitions/att-stop-the-increase-of-the-upgrade-fee-from-18-to-36

Sorry, I think AT&T will listen more if they start losing customers over this. They aren't going to listen to a petition unless they think they will seriously also lose those people's money. They aren't here to be nice. If they can make more money by charging this fee even if pissing people off, they will. Only if they piss people off too much and htey'll stand to lose money by doing this would they stop (That's why Bank of America caved on their debit fee, they were actually losing customers over it. Hell, people had organized a change your bank day and were actually doing it).

Or in other words you would be a lot better off if you could convince people to boycott AT&T and leave if they don't lower the fee.

 

[lordofthereef]

Yeah but 36 dollars? I mean I wasn't too upset when it was 18 dollars, that was like, whatever. But now almost 40 dollars. Just to give them a phantom fee?! That's ridiculous!

I get what you are saying, I really do. But these phantom fees are all over the place. Buy an airline ticket, and they slap some phantom fees on. Go to a rock concert, more phantom fees. Unfortunately it is something people either get to accept, or simply not use the service or product I think. IMO $18 was just as bad as $36 as they were equally unjustified. I just look at it as a "pay to play" fee. When everyone else is doing it, jumping ship over something like this doesn't seem to make sense to me.

 

[GoCubsGo]

AT&T is a greedy company. For every customer lost they probably gain 5 more. I don't know of a cell company that isn't greedy to some extent, so this isn't a jab at AT&T specifically. With technology today there is NO reason to charge an upgrade fee at all. Paperwork is all computerized, they pay employees to do this crap anyway, and the removal of the sim card to another phone is user-friendly. So why the fee let alone the increased fee?

 

[chiefpavvy]

A lot of folks don't know, but even an iPhone "locked" to AT&T will work with a plethora of prepaid services sold using AT&T's network (called MVNOs). Some examples are Straight Talk, Red Pocket, H2O, AirVoice, etc. All of these offer better deals than AT&T and no contract to boot. You don't need to hack or jailbreak or modify your iPhone at all. Pop in the SIM and go. There are some exceptions (for example, MMS support often requires a jailbreak) but I think for most folks it would be load and go.

I remember paying AT&T almost $160 per month back in the iPhone 3G era and I cancelled them on the spot. ETF was cheaper then, but I would have paid it even if it were $350. The hell with contracts.

 

[tigress666]

I get what you are saying, I really do. But these phantom fees are all over the place. Buy an airline ticket, and they slap some phantom fees on. Go to a rock concert, more phantom fees. Unfortunately it is something people either get to accept, or simply not use the service or product I think. IMO $18 was just as bad as $36 as they were equally unjustified. I just look at it as a "pay to play" fee. When everyone else is doing it, jumping ship over something like this doesn't seem to make sense to me.

Yes, but honestly, phantom fees marketing wise are not a good idea when you start making them high enough that people can't go, "Ah, that's not much" and tend to ignore it.

18 dollars seems not much on top of everything else, wasn't as noticeable.

But 36 dollars to me, especially an even number like that, and I think 40 dollars extra (yes, I round up but it's an even number and that's what I think more when I think of it)? Really?! I could do a lot with 40 dollars (like buy more than a week of groceries or almost a Costco trip).

I don't mind too much a pay to play fee when it's small and not much extra. But when it starts getting to be a noticeable percentage on top of what you are buying it gets ridiculous (that's 20% the cost of the iphone when you are paying the upgrade price if you get the most popular size!).

 

[TonyC28]

AT&T got killed last quarter with a $6 billion loss. They gambled a lot on the T-Mobile merger and they lost. I know there were a couple towers in my area that didn't get upgraded because of the anticipated merger and they were left scrambling to get them upgraded last month. Now they are also scrambling to make some money. It would be nice to say that this is going to hurt them because people will leave. But where can we go? Other companies charge the same ridiculous fees. They know that we don't have many alternatives and they make a quick buck if we leave because of ETF.

I do wonder though if they will initially lose money because they got rid of early upgrades for $100+ monthly accounts. I know I won't be buying an iPhone 5 on release day if I'm not getting new contract pricing. Of course I will buy it as soon as I am eligible so I guess they'll get my money eventually.

The government doesn't want two companies getting together because it hurts competition. What competition? If the two companies have the same pricing and fees then what's the difference? I know they aren't exactly the same, but they're getting there.

 

[Primejimbo]

Carriers don't do anything, especially with iPhones because the sim cards are preinstalled. They are charging 36 dollars to make a change on the computer. It's insane.

I hope they don't break a sweet making that change in the computer

I hope people speak out like they did with the Verizon $2.00 or whatever for paying the bill.

 

[andiwm2003]

I'm confused.

I switch my sim card all the time between my 3GS, my 4S and my 12 year old Siemens phone and I don't think ATT charges anything for that. When I bought my 4S I'm quite sure ATT did not charge anything either.

I think you guy's miss the point that ATT only charges the upgrade fee when you enter a new subsidized two year contract with them. In that case ATT has to deal with the logistics of a new contract, providing the phone, simcard, possible return costs and such. Off course 36 bucks is way too expensive and it's a rip off.

However stating that ATT charges $36 for switching to a new phone is incorrect.

 

[Primejimbo]

I'm confused.

I switch my sim card all the time between my 3GS, my 4S and my 12 year old Siemens phone and I don't think ATT charges anything for that. When I bought my 4S I'm quite sure ATT did not charge anything either.

I think you guy's miss the point that ATT only charges the upgrade fee when you enter a new subsidized two year contract with them. In that case ATT has to deal with the logistics of a new contract, providing the phone, simcard, possible return costs and such. Off course 36 bucks is way too expensive and it's a rip off.

However stating that ATT charges $36 for switching to a new phone is incorrect.

They aren't confused, this is what they are talking about. If you read the whole thread you would see this is what we're talking about, not switching SIM's between phones you already own.

 

[mrsir2009]

I just need a 3G iPod touch. I am so done with cell contracts, it's not even funny.

But you'd still have to buy the 3G data from a cellphone company

 

[lordofthereef]

Yes, but honestly, phantom fees marketing wise are not a good idea when you start making them high enough that people can't go, "Ah, that's not much" and tend to ignore it.

18 dollars seems not much on top of everything else, wasn't as noticeable.

But 36 dollars to me, especially an even number like that, and I think 40 dollars extra (yes, I round up but it's an even number and that's what I think more when I think of it)? Really?! I could do a lot with 40 dollars (like buy more than a week of groceries or almost a Costco trip).

I don't mind too much a pay to play fee when it's small and not much extra. But when it starts getting to be a noticeable percentage on top of what you are buying it gets ridiculous (that's 20% the cost of the iphone when you are paying the upgrade price if you get the most popular size!).

Listen, I am not trying to argue that this is a good idea. No consumer is going to say that increasing their cost for a product or service was ever a good idea. However, if people are willing to pay, and they likely will be, it's probably a very good idea for AT&T.

----------

But you'd still have to buy the 3G data from a cellphone company

Right, but most of these data plans, in the states at least, come without a commitment; they are pay as you go. You buy the equipment outright and are not ofrced into any contract, or really even a plan. You pay for the month that you plan to use the data and that's it.

 

[mrsir2009]

Right, but most of these data plans, in the states at least, come without a commitment; they are pay as you go. You buy the equipment outright and are not ofrced into any contract, or really even a plan. You pay for the month that you plan to use the data and that's it.

You can do that with an iPhone too.

 

[KPOM]

Sorry for my ignorance... But I'm wondering why a carrier would have to do anything when a customer takes a SIM card out of one phone and puts it in another. I switch SIM cards round all the time, even putting SIM cards into phones that are branded by a different carrier. As far as I know, and what has seemed to hold true in my experience, the carriers have no control (or if they do, they don't use it) over flicking SIM cards into different phones. So how is it different in the US of A?

If you order a subsidized upgrade for a new phone, they advertise it at one price (say $199), but then often tack on a $36 "upgrade fee."

 

[lordofthereef]

You can do that with an iPhone too.

No, you can't (again, speaking about the states). I cannot get JUST a data plan on my iPhone regardless of the method I use to purchase it. I am required to have a voice package as well.

 

[pilot1226]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A406 Safari/7534.48.3)

For what it's worth, Sprint charges 36 as well. I was able to offset some of these charges by threatening to cancel. The problem's with the iPhone itself: it costs a lot of money for the carriers and they are losing a lot of their profit margins using this device compared to Androids.

At the end of the day they're going to do whatever they can to meet their bottom line and keep their shareholders happy.

 

[slippery-pete]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A406 Safari/7534.48.3)

For what it's worth, Sprint charges 36 as well. I was able to offset some of these charges by threatening to cancel. The problem's with the iPhone itself: it costs a lot of money for the carriers and they are losing a lot of their profit margins using this device compared to Androids.

At the end of the day they're going to do whatever they can to meet their bottom line and keep their shareholders happy.

Sprint charges $36????? Damn, the complainers on this board would have you believe that only evil At&t charges fees.....

Once again, instead of complaining on a message board or creating online petitions.....leave At&t. It really is that simple

 

[racer1441]

We have been over this over and over and they have a right to change their fees, at will, and NOT be a cause to break your contract.

Your monthly bill will remain the same so get over it

You 99% need to stop your whining, pay your ETF and move on.

Why wouldn't you do as much as you could to get out of the etf?

 

[pezasied182]

AT&T got killed last quarter with a $6 billion loss. They gambled a lot on the T-Mobile merger and they lost.

Not true, AT&T had one of their best quarters ever

http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=22304&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=33762