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2 fees waived via email request.

REQUEST:
"Good morning. I recently upgraded my account with 2 new iPhones,
complete with new 2-year contracts. I was hoping I could have my upgrade
fees ($72) waived or credited to my account as a courtesy to a loyal customer."

RESPONSE:
"Thank you for contacting AT&T about your wireless service. I will be more than happy to assist you today with this inquiry regarding your billed charges for the upgrade fee(s).

After further review of your account, I have adjusted the two $36.00 upgrade fees for you due to tenure. Please be advised that because this fee is not waived per your company discount, this is a one-time courtesy. The upgrade fee will apply for future upgrades."
 
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Worked for me!

Just wanted to say thank you for this thread...when I read it I immediately went and chatted with AT&T and within minutes had the $36 (plus taxes) for the upgrade fee credited back to my account. The credit showed online within 10 minutes but the representative did say that it may take up to an hour to show. I also got the standard answer of the reason for the fee but it seems that they have to say that and it doesn't have any bearing on the situation. I will share our conversation to show how easy it was (I have omitted my name throughout), and also I was lucky enough to have a pretty funny representative which was a nice change.

info: You are now chatting with 'Jean Kevin Smith'
Jean Kevin Smith: Mr. , thank you for chatting with AT&T today. I can help you with your question regarding your service.
Jean Kevin Smith: I'm sorry to hear that, I'll be more than happy to check that for you.
Jean Kevin Smith: How's your day?
Me: Thank you
Me: My day has been great, have you had a good halloween?
Jean Kevin Smith: Almost end of my shift doing good and getting ready for halloween party :)
Me: Sounds like fun
Jean Kevin Smith: Yeah!
Jean Kevin Smith: I can explain this fee to you. The upgrade fee is to allow us to assist customers with recommending new equipment, offering special offers and discounts, providing assistance with the upgrade process if needed, and supporting the returns process within 14 days. These specialized processes help us to ensure you are satisfied with your new equipment, and are ready to use it the day you receive it. The upgrade fee allows us to defray some of these additional service costs.
Jean Kevin Smith: Are you aware?
Me: No I was not aware
Jean Kevin Smith: Oh...
Jean Kevin Smith: Now your aware.
Jean Kevin Smith: Don't worry, I'm glad that you got me today, I can help you!
Me: Well if you can help me then I am very glad that I got you today too lol
Jean Kevin Smith: I will take care this for you.
Jean Kevin Smith: Just sit back and relax :)
Me: okay :)
Jean Kevin Smith: I already took care the upgrade fee, you may dial *BAL# to check your balance on online it will take an hour to take effect.
Jean Kevin Smith: Have I answered all of your questions today? Is there anything else I can help you with?
Jean Kevin Smith: Can you do me a favor?
Me: Excellent, thank you so much
Me: what would that be?
Jean Kevin Smith: Enjoy the rest of your day and Happy Halloween ^_^
Jean Kevin Smith: Please click the close button to end your session. A customer satisfaction survey will automatically appear and we appreciate your feedback.
Jean Kevin Smith: I'm so glad we were able to get everything taken care of! Thank you for being a valued part of the AT&T family!!!
Me: That I can do...thank you so much, have fun at your halloween party
Jean Kevin Smith: Thanks!
Me: bye
Jean Kevin Smith: Please click the close button to end your session. A customer satisfaction survey will automatically appear and we appreciate your feedback.
 
man after 30 mins on chat, I finally got them to waive the $36. The guy also told me that he'll do it for my other 4 lines when it gets updated. I hope so :D
 
I upgraded four lines over a three week period with AT&T. Between chat and calling 611, I was able to get all four upgrade fees waived. Each line was refunded $36 plus tax, which came out to $42.78 where I live.

$42.78 times four lines = $171.12 saved in waived fees!


.
 
Upgrade fees for 2 iPhone 5s on a family plan waived in about 5 minutes. Thanks! Looking forward to seeing CR $72 on the bill soon.
 
I just called and they waived all 4 of my $36 activation fees. She said that Apple does not allow them to waive activation fees, so she is making it a courtesy credit. She rounded it up from $144 to $150. Thanks for everyone's help.
 
I was just thinking of how many of these they received since the iPhone 5 came out. lol
 
Registered to say thanks to the OP. Took under five minutes and got a $40 fee waived. Nice.
 
Woot, woot, thanks, OP. Just got mine waived. I stated money was really tight and it would make life much easier. :) Which is true. LOL.

I've really been happy with ATT customer service.
 
I just got my first bill with the 2 new I-phones. 80.00 higher than usual. I called and asked the rep why is my bill higher than normal? He said its the new phone activation, "I see you got your phones at the apple store." I can give you a credit for the activation fees just a moment....Done!
Thanks Guys :)
 
Called 611 from my phone. Got "Holly" in Billing/Customer Service. Stuck to the same script everyone else is using: Long time customer, always pay my bills on time, happy with ATT, blah blah blah... don't think I should have to pay $36 (which is all true, really: I *do* really like ATT, always have had good service, and had no problem re-upping for like the 6th time. But I do think it's weird to have a "fee" when I'm signing a contract agreeing to keep paying them $85 a month for another two years.)

She put me on hold to talk to her supervisor, came back, and basically said the same thing everyone else is getting: No problem, we'll credit your account, but it's a "one time courtesy" and that the next time I re-sign, the fee won't be waived. Fair enough. I guess in two years I'll evaluate my options.
 
I just called twice this month for 2 iphone 5 upgrade fees at 2 different times.
All I had to say is I wonder if you can help me out with the $36 fee?
They said sure, let me put you on hold for a sec and came back a minute later and all was done.
Anything else today? No, thank you very much:)
 
I upgraded four lines over a three week period with AT&T. Between chat and calling 611, I was able to get all four upgrade fees waived. Each line was refunded $36 plus tax, which came out to $42.78 where I live.

$42.78 times four lines = $171.12 saved in waived fees!


.


FIVE FOR FIVE! Upgraded my last line on Monday and chatted to get my fifth upgrade fee waived just now. Total saved = $213.90, which is like a free iPhone 5.

Sorry Apple! You limited us to ordering two iPhone 5's at a time. We couldn't wait and went for two Galaxy S III's and one Galaxy Note 2 for the other upgrades.
 
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Sorry Apple! You limited us to ordering two iPhone 5's at a time. We couldn't wait and went for two Galaxy S III's and one Galaxy Note 2 for the other upgrades.
What are you talking about? All 4 in my family upgraded at the same time from iP4s to iP5s. Granted they were 3 separate transactions: my 2 kids got theirs separate from me and my wife but we all got them Sep 21 (they were all in the same family plan, though). :apple:
 
FIVE FOR FIVE! Upgraded my last line on Monday and chatted to get my fifth upgrade fee waived just now. Total saved = $213.90, which is like a free iPhone 5.

Sorry Apple! You limited us to ordering two iPhone 5's at a time. We couldn't wait and went for two Galaxy S III's and one Galaxy Note 2 for the other upgrades.

It's 2 per line dude.
 
Another $36 saved by this thread!

Thanks to the OP. Just used the live chat to get my fee refunded after upgrading last week.

I simply requested that the fee be removed as I have been a longtime customer and have just signed my 3rd consecutive two year contract with them for an iPhone and had a few contracts prior to that with other phones. The agent started by explaining what the fee is used for which was all BS pretty much - marketing, support to help me learn how to use my phone (that made me chuckle), and other crap.

Took about 10 minutes, but he finally came thru without any real argument.
 
Thanks for this awesome info! You just saved me 42 dollars and change with a five minute phone call!
 
Thanks to this thread, i just got the fee waved for the new 64GB 4th Gen iPad i just picked up for my wife. Its still working.
 
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