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Upgrade fee? Really??

So Verizon provides a discount to certain companies or government agencies. THEN they decide to charge a $30 upgrade fee to counteract the discount they provide. For example: The phone I wanted was $199 with a 2 year contract. I received a $30 discount through my work. I look at the invoice and there's a $30 upgrade fee added on. So basically the discount is null and void. Needless to say I'll shop elsewhere even though I've been a Verizon customer for at least 10 years.

Comments

Ann154

If you had browsed the community, you would have seen that there are SEVERAL existing threads started about this topic.

The upgrade fee is cheaper than what other companies' upgrade fee. The upgrade fee was instituted on April 22, 2012.

AZSALUKI

it has nothing to do with your discount. i would have to pay $230 for the same phone, so you are still getting a discount. i'm not suggesting that you don't shop around, but i will tell you there will be an activation fee anywhere you go, and an upgrade fee when it is time to upgrade with a different carrier. verizon was actually the last of the major carriers to institute this type of fee. i personally think it's silly, and that they should have just increased the prices on the phones by $30, but what do i know.

timg2009

We have been Verizon customers for more than 10 years. We upgraded 2 of our phones earlier this year and as usual I had the phones sent to me and I activated. I have 2 more phones, which I was going to extend the contract on but, with $30.00 per phone that's not happening. We are going to start shopping for a company that really wants to keep long term relations.

Did the CEO need a new house?

kymjj

I am with you I have a discount on my line through my employer and it clearly states that we do not have to pay ANY fees but they are charging me anyway. I am done with Verizon they do not care about long term customers the call center people are rude and by the way no in the store ever said a word about an upgrade fee and it was no where on the reciept and I did not have to sign any paperwork while there.

unknown

kymjj wrote:
I am with you I have a discount on my line through my employer and it clearly states that we do not have to pay ANY fees but they are charging me anyway. I am done with Verizon they do not care about long term customers the call center people are rude and by the way no in the store ever said a word about an upgrade fee and it was no where on the reciept and I did not have to sign any paperwork while there.

Hate to break it to you but ALL the major carriers have upgrade fees. In fact at&t and Sprint are HIGHER. I guess you intend to play musical carriers every to years to avoid a $30 fee.

Let's see a $600 phone can be had for $200 plus a $30 upgrade fee which is basically a 62% discount yet people feel they are being ripped off? Amazing.

kymjj

Well Brian I do not buy phones. I am a single parent. I wait until my upgrade date. I get the basic phone no 3G or 4G crap. So yes after 6 years of getting the basic no bells and whistles phone and now I have to pay a fee that no one and I repeat no one told me about yes I am switching. And guess what there is not an upgrade fee with ATT if you wait your two years like I have always done with Verizon. But I must say I loved the explanation of the $30 fee which does not even apply to me. This is just another way for a company to stick it to the customers. You dont' care about your customers otherwise you would only have this new fee for new customers not existing customers.

rcschnoor

Actually, yes, AT&T does have an upgrade fee which is currently $36 and you would have to pay it if you upgrade with them in 2yrs after you pay your $36 activation fee when you switch to AT&T right now.

Newyork_92

You can certainly go to another carrier, but again you will still have the upgrade fee.

tikibar1

and to set up a new account with a different carrier, they'll also have an activation fee

unknown

kymjj wrote:
Well Brian I do not buy phones. I am a single parent. I wait until my upgrade date. I get the basic phone no 3G or 4G crap. So yes after 6 years of getting the basic no bells and whistles phone and now I have to pay a fee that no one and I repeat no one told me about yes I am switching. And guess what there is not an upgrade fee with ATT if you wait your two years like I have always done with Verizon. But I must say I loved the explanation of the $30 fee which does not even apply to me. This is just another way for a company to stick it to the customers. You dont' care about your customers otherwise you would only have this new fee for new customers not existing customers.

A) even basic phones have 3G

$30 is nothing even for a basic phone. Go price some of the basic phones. The cheapest basic phone at full price is $190. You're getting it for $30 and you complain?

C) yes at&t has an upgrade fee. They had it before Verizon and it's $36. I guess you'll find out in 2 years.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/att-upgrade-fee/

AT&T on Sunday doubled the price of upgrading to a new cellphone — a one-time fee that you pay in addition to the cost of the phone itself. The company said it was raising the fee because today’s cellphones are more complex, so the costs of upgrading are higher.

The new upgrade fee is $36, up from $18. Sprint, a smaller wireless carrier, raised its upgrade fee to the same price last year.

D) I can 100% guarantee you were told about the upgrade fee. And as has been told it was announced by Verizon and made every major news source over 6 MONTHS AGO. Please tell me where you read your news online and I 100% guarantee I find the upgrade fee story on that site.

E) The upgrade DOES apply to you it applies to EVERYONE that choose to take a subsidized upgrade.

F) If you want to avoid the upgrade fee then get a basic phone of off e-bay or a friend that is no longer using theirs.

bptr

SO, why does everyone start every sentence with the word "so" now????

Basically, the phone companies are SCAMMERS just like the banks. Anytime they decide that they need to increase their profits, they just makeup some nonsense fee. I fulfilled my 2-year contract and my *** LG phone failed, so I get another new *** "free" one and they pretend that I am "upgrading".

<Remaining comments removed for attacking others and per the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service.>

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

bptr

<Comments removed for attacking others and for profanity per the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service.>

<This topic has been thoroughly discussed and will be closed.>

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

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