unrelated but related: late last year i had had to pay an extra $49 (over what Apple charges) to buy an unlocked iPhone 6S from the good guys at BestBuy. I would have walked out of the store if I were not in a desperate fix back then to get a phone.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Verizon Introducing $20 Fee to Upgrade Your Smartphone
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
rawweb
macrumors 65816
We consumers pay way too much for data and telecommunications these days. Fees like this add a level of mistrust between the consumer and the giant corporation. Glad I don't have Feerizon right now. #VerizonGate2016
on top of the already $40 upgrade fee? ****ING JOKE
verizon had ZERO upgrade fees less than 4 years ago
verizon had ZERO upgrade fees less than 4 years ago
KdParker
macrumors 601
Dirtyharry50
macrumors 68000
I disagree that they need regulation. They have regulation. It is called competition. This will cost them. It will cost them my business on a permanent basis ideally.
They really are bold as brass. What support cost? What support? There is no support or support cost. What a load of bull.
yaxomoxay
macrumors 604
sbailey4
macrumors 601
The last line on the article seems to say there is.
That was for the 2 yr contract which changed to $40 a while back. These new $20 fee are for the other purchase plans not the 2yr contract plans.
I could see charging a fee for a new line of service or change that would require new provisioning but simply changing the hardware on an existing line AND agreeing to 2 more yrs seems ridicules to charge $40 more. Seems OK maybe for new customers (new acct setup, billing, line provisioning etc) ,,,but existing customers willing to sign up for 2 more years on the SAME LINE and them charging a $40 fee to "let you remain their customer" is way out of bounds.
Is this in place of the $29 Device / Line Activation fee I pay? I just added a BlackBerry Bold to my Veizon plan and while the device was fully paid for, there was an activation fee.
If $20 replaces that, fine! If $20 is on top of the $29 fee, that's BS.
Verizon, just give me a place on your website to enter my IMEI number and we'll call it a day. It's your fault I have to call you / visit your store. Enabling Verizon on my iPad w/ LTE is a snap. I open Settings, add a credit card and buy 2 GB of data. That's the future and we've had that on iPad since 2010.
Finally, why is Verizon adding it to my bill when I activate my next iPhone at an Apple Store? They cite "increasing support costs associated with customers switching their devices" but what costs do they incur by Apple paying a retail employee's salary to activate my phone?
If $20 replaces that, fine! If $20 is on top of the $29 fee, that's BS.
Verizon, just give me a place on your website to enter my IMEI number and we'll call it a day. It's your fault I have to call you / visit your store. Enabling Verizon on my iPad w/ LTE is a snap. I open Settings, add a credit card and buy 2 GB of data. That's the future and we've had that on iPad since 2010.
Finally, why is Verizon adding it to my bill when I activate my next iPhone at an Apple Store? They cite "increasing support costs associated with customers switching their devices" but what costs do they incur by Apple paying a retail employee's salary to activate my phone?
Amen! Airlines in particular are d-bags; when they jacked their prices a couple of years back they quoted increasing fuel cost... when Fuel dropped to one third of what it used to be in its height; they kept jacking their prices, and said that cheaper fuel is more profit for them.
We don't need regulation (as associated fees). We need people (CUSTOMERS) to start voicing their opinion with their wallet and take their business elsewhere. But people don't care. It's easy to rant and rave on a forum, but not so easy ditching Verizon for another carrier, so nothing ever happens.
MLinneer
macrumors regular
I get sooooo tired of being butt humped by service companies and their mysterious fees, some of which are in fact taxes since they go to the Fed or state. Verizon, AT&T, Dish, TXU Electric... even my local water company, part of the city, charges a $1.25 "convenience fee" if I pay the bill online. As opposed to a .49 stamp... and then they charge a $10 late fee if THEY don't get around to processing the check before the due date. It's enough to drive a man to drink.
I can see the top execs sitting around a table pondering the next way to rip off their customers.
Light bulb!! Let's throw a $20 fee on every upgrade and make up some BS reason for it. These customers aren't as smart as we are, they'll think this is legit.
If my wife didn't travel to rural parts of new York and west Virginia we'd jump over to T-mobile.
Light bulb!! Let's throw a $20 fee on every upgrade and make up some BS reason for it. These customers aren't as smart as we are, they'll think this is legit.
If my wife didn't travel to rural parts of new York and west Virginia we'd jump over to T-mobile.
Dirtyharry50
macrumors 68000
I'm sorry. In my reply to you I went off in reference to an earlier post the mentioned them needing regulation.
I think being upset has clouded my mind a wee bit. 😕
Isn't this, supposedly "customer support", simply a cost of doing business? What next? Add a charge for buying a phone in-store because someone serves you? Awful...
At this point, I don't blame Verizon, I blame their stupid customers for putting up with this crap.
rdlink
macrumors 68040
Verizon has no way to charge you if you pay full retail for the phone from Apple. Your SIM card will work in the new phone as soon as you put it in there.
They will screw you over if you do the Apple Upgrade program, because the bank that finances the phone insists that you activate the phone before you walk out of the store. So, even though you can walk out of the store and cancel the service with Verizon instantly they will be able to charge you for the activation.
False. Reread the article. It says specifically it applies to direct and indirect channels. Where it notes it doesn't matter whether you buy from Verizon or directly from Apple through Apple's upgrade program. Even if you never ask for support from Verizon or engage with Verizon, they will still be able to detect the new phone when it's activated on their network, and then will bill you on your next month bill. They were losing money from people buying through new means that didn't involve them, so they've added a fee to try to get money from those customers.
At the moment nothing we can do about it other than complain but probably 0 chance it will make a difference so they know we don't have any options, just like Comcast. Sure you could switch to T-Mobile, but if you were willing to sacrafrice call quality and call coverage you would have switched a long time ago and not just over $20. T-Mobile gives discounts because it's at the bottom of the barrel and trying to attract customers, but if it ever reaches Verizon's status, it would charge the same fees as well sadly.
The bit about AT&T is very misleading. They charge for upgrades on the Next plan. That's very different from a charge to just change your phone.
[doublepost=1459444043][/doublepost]
Unfortunately, with Verizon you can't just switch SIM cards. They use the internal IMEI number to identify you.
frumpy16
macrumors 65816
Sounds like they're daring you to switch to T-Mobile to me which I did about a year ago and have been VERY happy with. Goodbye stupid fees like this! Can't wait to see John L. laughing out loud on this anti-customer move by Verizon.
TaviDuprix
macrumors member
I look forward to a day when retailers follow suit and charge me a cover fee just to enter the store. Phone companies really are the worst.
frumpy16
macrumors 65816
If it's an LTE phone, yes you can just switch the SIM card (at least with the iPhone).
[doublepost=1459444199][/doublepost]
Why would you look forward to that?!