This is not aimed at the OP but more of a generalized statement. Since the $36 and $18 fees are in the contract that people signed why do they think that they are entitled to not paying it? Since people feel that they are above paying that cost that means that everyone else has to absorb the cost for them. I have had a contract with AT&T>Cingular>AT&T since 1998 and have always paid the fees because that is part of owning a cell phone and signing a contract. Sure there are valid reasons for being excused from certain fees but self entitlement is not one of them. The influx of these posts and people with self entitlement issues these days is sickening.
Contracts and common sense vary. I don't mean for this particular case, but since you said you were speaking in general, I'll address.
I recently returned an ordered AT&T 4S that arrived late to my house. I was with box in hand at the store when the agent initially wanted to charge me their 35 dollar restocking fee. They ended up "doing me the favor" of waiving the fee. Yeah right.
It was totally their bungled process, and they're fault, that made the order arrive so far after their promised date. If they wanted to stick to their contract, they probably could have stuck me with the $35 restocking fee.
When a written contract differs too much from what is reasonable expectation, I no longer hold the opinion that anyone trying to free themselves of it is just merely being selfish or has a sense of entitlement.
I'll grant you that for many people, trying to get anything for free, for any reason, is always their goal. Shame on them. But for many others, keep in mind they are trying to get a little freebie from what is essentially a nuisance element in a very long contract.
