AfterDawn: News

Verizon to begin charging upgrade fees

Verizon has announced today that it will start charging an upgrade fee for users upgrading to new phones.

The carrier was the final "holdout" among the American majors, who each already charge for upgrades.



Verizon will begin charging $30 on April 22nd, more expensive than T-Mobile but cheaper than AT&T and Sprint, who each charge $36.

T-Mobile charges $18, which was the standard until last year when Sprint doubled its fee and AT&T followed suit.

For its part, Verizon says the fees will "continue to provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect." The company also notes that trading in older handsets through Verizon's own trade-in program can help "offset the cost" of the new upgrade fee.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Apr 2012 20:04

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• 20 comments

• Tazer247

  The cost of a new phone already hits me hard verizon! And I planned on getting a new phone this summer...
  

  11.4.2012 21:27 #1

• TBandit

  Man wtf, just talked to ATT and was wondering why the hell they had this shyt added to the damn phone already. What a damn rip off.

  11.4.2012 21:30 #2

• Steel-Ice

  What is with these carriers nickel-and-diming us instead of competing for our business?
  

  11.4.2012 22:48 #3

• Azuran

  Originally posted by Steel-Ice: What is with these carriers nickel-and-diming us instead of competing for our business? Cellular service has transformed in the last 15 years from a luxury to a utility and like all utilities they are pretty much free to rape and pillage.
  

  11.4.2012 23:17 #4

• core2kid

  Quote:The company also notes that trading in older handsets through Verizon's own trade-in program can help "offset the cost" of the new upgrade fee. The trade in program is a joke. When I got my Droid 4, they offered me $5 for my Droid 2 which was in perfect working condition.

  11.4.2012 23:46 #5

• Steel-Ice

  Originally posted by Azuran: Originally posted by Steel-Ice: What is with these carriers nickel-and-diming us instead of competing for our business? Cellular service has transformed in the last 15 years from a luxury to a utility and like all utilities they are pretty much free to rape and pillage. Utility companies are different they are regulated by government. They aren't allowed to compete you either have to like the company in your city or move. I never been able to choose between two different power companies, water company, or cable operator for a better price or service. Deregulation leads to lower prices and better services. Example: We have the highest price for internet and the slowest speeds. Europe was once rated lower then us until they deregulated their cable/ internet companies and allowed to compete which lead to increase internet speeds and lower prices.
  
  Even their cellphone prices are lower while our keep rising. The government need to break up the big four and deregulate the utility companies so they will actually compete.
  (I have my BBA in Business Management and the question was rhetoric because I already knew the answer.)
  

  12.4.2012 00:38 #6

• hikaricor

  I have never paid and will never pay an upgrade fee. If you stay on the phone long enough bitching they either drop it outright, or will credit it back to you later.

  12.4.2012 00:41 #7

• Hyasuma

  Originally posted by hikaricor: I have never paid and will never pay an upgrade fee. If you stay on the phone long enough bitching they either drop it outright, or will credit it back to you later. trade in program? that is a joke, i can sell it on Ebay for more than a freaking trade in program.
  

  Being nice always has its own consequences

  12.4.2012 01:22 #8

• Jimathome

  How very odd, here in the UK upgrades are free plus the mobile operaters often throw in freebies to encourage you to upgrade and stay with them
  

  12.4.2012 08:50 #9

• Blessedon

  Originally posted by Steel-Ice: Deregulation leads to lower prices and better services.
  The government need[s] to break up the big four and deregulate the utility companies so they will actually compete. These truths have been proven in the free market repeatedly, and without exception. Government has never once succeeded in providing, or determining the quality of, products and services as well as the private sector relying upon consumer choice.
  

  12.4.2012 10:19 #10

• Hrdrk20

  The newest Ziegiest video explains how companies are/have been making their products with less quality and high prices and have a "use and dispose" philosophy. This causes people to unconsciously spend money on the new and better version. I just read a report that says the next iphone will have a bigger screen.
  
  I've had two android phones in less than one year. My first Cricket brand Hauwii broke in just a couple of months because the usb port broke from plugging and un-plugging constantly. A few months later I purchased a Virgin Mobile android. I don't use the phone much and I don't like the small screen. I could not tether it like my Cricket and when the phone has no airtime you can't view photos or videos. It still plays music however.

  12.4.2012 14:52 #11

• hearme0

  Originally posted by Steel-Ice: What is with these carriers nickel-and-diming us instead of competing for our business? Ummm.......they're not "competing" for our business anymore by holding out from charging these lame fees as they are ALL banding together.
  
  Kinda like "Senior ditch day" in high school....the theory is that if EVERYONE ditches, the school can't do anything about it.
  
  Same applies here....if they all charge.....where are you gonna go and not get charged that fee? They know this. So "competing" is no longer an issue when dealing with chargers that all partake in.

  12.4.2012 15:17 #12

• Jimathome

  It seems like our American cousins get ripped off on a lot for services, for example I get totally unlimited broadband with no usage caps 20 mbps, plus unlimited 24/7 landline calls in the UK & 20 international destinations inclusive of line rental for £23.70 per month that's $37.81.
  I think it has to do with there being only 4 big providers in the US and that IMHO they are price fixing and with little or no competion they can get away with it.
  

  12.4.2012 19:37 #13

• Blessedon

  Originally posted by Jimathome: It seems like our American cousins get ripped off on a lot for services, for example I get totally unlimited broadband with no usage caps 20 mbps, plus unlimited 24/7 landline calls in the UK & 20 international destinations inclusive of line rental for £23.70 per month that's $37.81.
  I think it has to do with there being only 4 big providers in the US and that IMHO they are price fixing and with little or no competion they can get away with it. I guess mobile price and service have as much to do with country of origin as...say, competition, politics, demographics, population/land density and much more.
  For example, compared to South Korea, even the excellent UK rates are a ripoff.
  

  12.4.2012 19:47 #14

• Jimathome

  Originally posted by Blessedon: Originally posted by Jimathome: It seems like our American cousins get ripped off on a lot for services, for example I get totally unlimited broadband with no usage caps 20 mbps, plus unlimited 24/7 landline calls in the UK & 20 international destinations inclusive of line rental for £23.70 per month that's $37.81.
  I think it has to do with there being only 4 big providers in the US and that IMHO they are price fixing and with little or no competion they can get away with it. I guess mobile price and service have as much to do with country of origin as...say, competition, politics, demographics, population/land density and much more.
  For example, compared to South Korea, even the excellent UK rates are a ripoff. True but the Koreans earn a lot less, and we don't have a psycopath running Scotland with a nuclear arsenal. LOL
  

  12.4.2012 20:45 #15

• Steel-Ice

  Originally posted by Jimathome: It seems like our American cousins get ripped off on a lot for services, for example I get totally unlimited broadband with no usage caps 20 mbps, plus unlimited 24/7 landline calls in the UK & 20 international destinations inclusive of line rental for £23.70 per month that's $37.81.
  I think it has to do with there being only 4 big providers in the US and that IMHO they are price fixing and with little or no competion they can get away with it. The big four are the cell companies. When it comes to internet and home phone you have even less to choose from because of the government. Either you get AT&T/U-Verse or whatever cable company is available in your city. If you are in a rural area your only choice is AT&T. For the same service here it would be about $60 for a year before they decided to raise your bill.
  

  12.4.2012 20:46 #16

• Jimathome

  Originally posted by Steel-Ice: Originally posted by Jimathome: It seems like our American cousins get ripped off on a lot for services, for example I get totally unlimited broadband with no usage caps 20 mbps, plus unlimited 24/7 landline calls in the UK & 20 international destinations inclusive of line rental for £23.70 per month that's $37.81.
  I think it has to do with there being only 4 big providers in the US and that IMHO they are price fixing and with little or no competion they can get away with it. The big four are the cell companies. When it comes to internet and home phone you have even less to choose from because of the government. Either you get AT&T/U-Verse or whatever cable company is available in your city. If you are in a rural area your only choice is AT&T. For the same service here it would be about $60 for a year before they decided to raise your bill. Dam ! sounds like a license to print money ! We have about 10 ISP's with there own exchanges (backbone) and then lots more who rent off them and resell there own service
  

  12.4.2012 20:49 #17

• Jimathome

  I don't know what you pay for mobile (cell) I get 300 minutes to any network 2000 minutes to same network (3 Moblie UK)2000 texts and unlimited data for £12.00 $19.00 per month on a rolling monthly contract sim only (no phone)
  

  12.4.2012 21:03 #18

• whirlwind47 (unverified)

  I am surprised that no one has mentioned companies like StraightTalk. I started off with Alltel and then stayed with them when they were purchased by Verizon. I have been with both companies for well over a decade now and can't wait for my contract to run out early next year. Phones have climbed in price, service has climbed in price and customer service has declined over the same period. I am tired of contracts and having to keep a phone for the contract period, so I have decided to go with a company like StraightTalk. True the initial out-lay for a new phone is more, but my monthly bill will be cut by more than 50% and everything is unlimited, talk, text, and data.

  15.4.2012 11:10 #19

• SoulGLOW

  been with Sprint almost 10 years and have NEVER paid for an upgrade...no bitching needed

  27.4.2012 06:25 #20