Can I avoid paying an upgrade fee?

I was previously with T-Mobile, but recently switched to Verizon due to a specific coverage issue (truth be told, I actually miss T-Mobile's service and speeds, but need coverage somewhere T-Mobile doesn't reach).

We brought our iPhone 6s devices over as they are unlocked and they work fine. I was considering upgrading to the iPhone 7 today by buying the devices and paying in full, and was told by store staff there would still be an upgrade fee. I am all about a company making its money, but the upgrade fee is bunk and I don't want to pay it.

Given that I am willing and able to buy the phones outright, how do I avoid paying this fee?

Accepted answers

Verizon_Support

STEBER26, we understand that unexpected fees can be a hassle to deal with. With any phone upgrade there is a fee associated to complete the transaction. It is used to cover all of the free services we provide to our customers. At this time we would not have an alternate option that would wave this fee. However, you always have the option of purchasing the device at full retial cost and adding it to the account if you wanted to avoid paying this fee.

JasperM_VZW
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All comments

smith6612

Buy it through Apple, take the SIM Card from your current phone and put it in the new phone purchased from Apple. Easy as that. No need to tell Verizon.

Verizon_Support

STEBER26

Thank for confirming! I wasn't sure if it was as simple as that given that Verizon was CDMA (I am used to that on GSM networks).

Weth

You will have to wait until Apple sell the SIM free version. Right now you can only buy full price Verizon iPhone 7 and Apple will charge the bogus upgrade fee even if you are paying full price. The T-Mobile iPhone 7 will not work on Verizon, unlike the 6 and 6S. That is because the ATT and T-Mobile version do not have CDMA capability.

I know, I tried doing exactly this.

STEBER26

This is what I was afraid of, Weth! Sounds like I might need to wait several weeks for supply to catch up with demand if I want to avoid paying Verizon's ridiculous "Upgrade Fee" ransom. I've only been with Verizon a few months, but already cannot stand them.

joey2007ua64

So I take it that T Mobile doesn't have any bogus $20 fees?

Cause it kind of looks like they do.

Weth

I just got off the phone with Verizon. I bought through Verizon and was charged upgrade fee. Since I bought it online on the Verizon website, it should not have been charged and the rep quickly reversed the upgrade $20 charge on both phones. This was immediately reflected online as my amount due went down $40 and there is a message saying the $40 credit was successfully processed. I think you would have a harder time getting it reversed if you bought from a third party.

638383847271949583726

“It is used to cover all of the free services we provide to our customers...”
That one made me laugh. How are they “free services” if we pay a fee for them?!?!
I suspect you’ve never provided your customers with any “free services” whatsoever because your regular monthly fees (not including hidden surprise surcharges, “convenience fees,” and other nickel-and-dime tactics) alone are enough to cover all services we receive 10 times over.

@vzw_customer_support
wrote:
STEBER26, we understand that unexpected fees can be a hassle to deal with. With any phone upgrade there is a fee associated to complete the transaction. It is used to cover all of the free services we provide to our customers. At this time we would not have an alternate option that would wave this fee. However, you always have the option of purchasing the device at full retial cost and adding it to the account if you wanted to avoid paying this fee.
JasperM_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

Momma23dogs

@638383847271949583726
Lol. Not the sharpest answer was it.
I would love to know what services, free or otherwise, is provided? Give us a break. It's a 'processing fee' for the 2 minutes of data entry involved in selling a new phone.
I refuse to buy through carriers and pay their bogus fees or be tied with installments.

LesleyL

That doesn't seem to be true. Any time you CHANGE a device you need to pay this fee. I'm currently trying to buy a device outright from Verizon, but I am being asked pay the upgrade fee. You wrote. "However, you always have the option of purchasing the device at full retial (sic) cost and adding it to the account if you wanted to avoid paying this fee.". I want to buy the device for full cost, but I am being asked to pay a upgrade fee. That's insane.

[Deleted User]

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