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Free Phone was not Free and no Customer Service

Why was I Charge a $30.00 upgrade fee when I received my new Commando 4G LTE phone. The ad said it was free? $30.00 ain't free! I saw nothing in the add that said I was going to pay an extra $30.00. I did buy an accessory package for $49.99, but my bill came to $79.99 plus tax, I believe this is false advertising. When I called the number "For questions on your billing", I was on hold for 30 minutes and hung up, as I got tired of waiting.

Comments

ttipgem

The phone is in fact free. However, for all phone upgrades, there is now a $30 upgrade fee.

WDavid

Paying $30.00 for a free phone IS NOT FREE! I don't care what you call it, it ain't free!

I've been with Verizon since they took over this area's Alltel customers and have never been charged for a new phone. You're not going to build a very loyal base when you keep adding fees and raising cost , you can bet I'll be looking at other cell phone services in the future. I just had my WiFi go from $10.00 to $15.00 a GB and now this. I guess keeping your old customers isn't important anymore.

>> Personal information removed to comply with the <<

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

demmo86rt

You didn't pay $30 for the phone, you paid a $30 activation fee which, if you had read your contract before signing it, you would have known about.

unknown

If a local restaurant offered you a free lunch would you really not expect to tip the waitress that served it to you?

I guess you would because after all, if you had to tip the waitress $7.00 to serve it to you, it wouldn't really be a FREE lunch.

ttipgem

Actually, the upgrade fee and the activation fee are two different things.

Customers who are upgrading typically do not have to pay an activation fee.

tkrieg

i do not want to be included in the verizon wireless community blogs. please remove my email address.

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Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

gordonmx

Actually the upgrade fee is not a fee. Yes, Verizon calls it a fee, but truth be known “there are no free phones” anymore. It used to be, with a 2 year contract extension, Verizon gave you a new phone. You can still find a free (well 99 cent) basis phone, but with the new fee, they are saying the phone really costs $30.99. At the least, one could say it was false advertising, maybe even switch and bait. My frustration is that it doesn’t matter whether you are upgrading to a smart phone or a basis one, the fee is the same.

demmo86rt

No, it's $.99 with a $30 activation fee. Funny thing is, most smartphones are upwards of $600, but you get a deal on them for signing a new contract. In most states you still have to pay the tax on the full value, so you end up paying quite a bit more than $30 even.

I'm starting to wonder what the complaints are going to look like when Verizon stops subsidizing phones altogether.

unknown

tkrieg wrote:
i do not want to be included in the verizon wireless community blogs. please remove my email address.

This is a not a direct line to Verizon Wireless. You are typing a message to other Verizon customers just like yourself. If you want your email address removed you have to do it yourself.

Verizon_Support

Thank you all for taking the time to provide your feedback and help out our fellow community members. I really appreciate it!

@WDavid,

A new phone is always an exciting time and we offer many options including free phones. I understand you wanting to get clarification on this fee. Waiting on hold is never fun and I apologize the call was dropped. I assure you it was not done on purpose. Let me explain the value and benefit you are getting for this small fee.

The phone you purchased was free because the retail price of the Samsung Charge is $499.99. The $30.00 upgrade fee is not a charge for the phone. I understand that nobody likes to hear the word fee. Devices have become more advanced and have evolved to mini computers. We have kept our upgrade fee low and our two largest competitors' upgrade and activation fees are higher than Verizon Wireless' comparable charges. Most of them charge at least $36.

This fee allows us to provide you with a high level of support from the time you upgrade throughout the life of the device. It covers the costs associated with the device upgrade, including transferring contacts and data, offering wireless workshops http://bit.ly/oc2kd5 , online device tutorials and support information http://bit.ly/yN1P80 . Everything to help you understand and use your new device easily.

You can use our recycle program to trade in your old phone and use the money to help offset the upgrade fee. Visit http://bit.ly/GGnDDC for complete details.

JohnB_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

gordonmx

My billing clearly states "no activation fee". The $30 is NOT an activation fee, except maybe in your dreams. In the states I'm familiar with you only pay the tax on the amount YOU pay for the phone, not the full price. There are a few state attorney generals that would be interested if you have to pay more. Which brings me to an interesting side note; the upgrade phones I purchased yesterday charged me tax on the $30 fee. Guess who I will be calling
next?

gordonmx

JohnB_VZW,

If the fee is to provide the customers with a high level of support and not tied to the specific value of a phone, the fee is a service fee. Why was I charged sales tax for a service when I brought my Idaho phone? Idaho only charges sales tax on physical purchase and prohibits taxing services.

gordonmx

My bad, the phrase should have been bait and switch

japetty

The $30.00 is listed just above the phone and its price on the cash register receipt as UPGRFEE and $30.00 in each column and the taxes charged in that state was the amount of the phone not the price or value of the phone. How ever the last phones I purchased I paid retail and of coarse the taxes were charged on the full amount. In some states they will charge tax on the fee if a service is performed for that fee such a activation. I have paid those taxes in NM. In NM you pay taxes on any kind of service or labor.

gordonmx

Bummer, in Idaho services are not taxed and in Oregon there is no sales tax. If the price above (or in my case, next too) the phone is $0 (with 2 yr contract), the sales tax should be $0.

21stNow

demmo86rt wrote:
No, it's $.99 with a $30 activation fee. Funny thing is, most smartphones are upwards of $600, but you get a deal on them for signing a new contract. In most states you still have to pay the tax on the full value, so you end up paying quite a bit more than $30 even.
I'm starting to wonder what the complaints are going to look like when Verizon stops subsidizing phones altogether.

An activation fee is charged to new customers when activating service for the first time. An upgrade fee is charged to existing customers who upgrade to a subsidized device. They are two different fees. For example, I started service with VZW with a device that I already owned; I was charged an activation fee. If I had changed devices to a device with no subsidy, I would not be charged an upgrade fee.

Also, there are only two or three states that charge sales tax on the full retail price of the device when the customer purchases a subsidized device. That doesn't qualify as "most states".

Stoli

it stinks but not much we can do, by the time shipping was added my "free phone" cost $79.50 I wish there were a way to protest this upgrade fee????

Verizon_Support

Hi Tkrieg,

No worries, we can help! I know unwanted messages can be annoying. I will be more than happy to have your email address removed from the Verizon Wireless Community blogs. Please allow 3-5 business days to complete this action.

Thanks,

PamelaF_VZW

Tweet us @vzwsupport

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