Re: $30 "Upgrade" Fee: Come on Verizon
ssclemson
Enthusiast - Level 1

We can blame Apple for this one.  With the other manufacturers Big Red had some leeway to adjust the prices so that they were not taking a bath on the subsidized prices of the handsets. So instead of "upgrade fees" they would adjust the price of the phone so they would make optimal money.  With the iPhone Verizon has their hands tied because they cannot adjust the price a penny without the consent of Apple.  Just as ATT had to add the "upgrade fee" because they were carrying the iphone, now all other carriers will have to do the same. 

Re: $30 "Upgrade" Fee: Come on Verizon
reallyniceguy
Contributor - Level 3

Im surprised verizon took a while to do this... att charges 36, sprint 36 and tmobile 18. Altought verizon waives activation fees in holidays Smiley Happy I know they did it on memorial day weekend. Buy your phones at wal mart cosco and so on. They are cheaper. Lets say the phone at the store is 100 dllrs after a 50 dllr rebate, wal mart will have it for free with a 30 dllr upgrade fee and its still cheaper. Theres ways around it. Shop around and enjoy the great service.

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Re: $30 "Upgrade" Fee: Come on Verizon
ilcorago
Enthusiast - Level 2

I thought about it a long while. Verizon just went the wrong way about tacking on a new fee. My old phone is dying, my "upgrade" is simply to keep a working phone. The "free phone" offer was absolutely the only enticement to sign a two year contract. I use a basic phone with basic service and don't feel like I should have to pay an extra fee to subsidize Verizon's providing expensive smart phones to others. In any case, I'm done complaining and am switching today to MetroPCS which now offers unlimited text and voice, which is all I need,  for half the price of my Verizon plan. After 12 years, goodbye, Verizon.

Re: $30 "Upgrade" Fee: Come on Verizon
budone
Legend

Just watch the coverage Metro has. Where I am they have billboards advertising their service yet there is no service out where the Billboard is.

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$30 "Upgrade" Fee: Come on Verizon
igovirginmobile
Contributor - Level 1

Update: To avoid the extra fees and to avoid the bull of a long term contract buy a used smartphone and switch over. Verizon will not touch your gandfathered plan, no contract and not $30 fee...

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Re: $30 "Upgrade" Fee: Come on Verizon
Keitarou
Contributor - Level 1

While buying used or retail would save you 30 bucks, it's not much of a savings. Only do this if Verizon is the only solution to your mobile needs. Otherwise, go prepaid. Now with better prepaid phones coming out, the savings on your monthly bill will save you money over 2 years. You don't have to pay extra monthly for the company to recoup your subsidized price. Even if you buy used or full retail, your monthly bill doesn't change allowing company to make money off of you.

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Re: $30 "Upgrade" Fee: Come on Verizon
jacobweber2000
Contributor - Level 2

Except the phone you buy off ebay may not have a warranty, may have a worn out battery, or may even be "lost" or "stolen". Just try to activate it and you may get a nasty surprise and be out all that money.

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Re: $30 "Upgrade" Fee: Come on Verizon
jacobweber2000
Contributor - Level 2

Yet if you do buy a phone "outright", VZW doesnt give you any sort of discount off your service. Thats a major issue over the "subsidizing" of phones.  Same for when your contract "ends". By all rights, your bill should go down after your out of your contract, not stay the same.

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Re: $30 "Upgrade" Fee: Come on Verizon
Tidbits
Legend

jacobweber2000 wrote:

Yet if you do buy a phone "outright", VZW doesnt give you any sort of discount off your service. Thats a major issue over the "subsidizing" of phones.  Same for when your contract "ends". By all rights, your bill should go down after your out of your contract, not stay the same.

Neither does ANY carrier out there.  Unless you count T-Mobile where you have to sign a contract, or prepaid.

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Re: $30 "Upgrade" Fee: Come on Verizon
rushman211264
Enthusiast - Level 1

I've been a loyal Verizon wireless customer for over 11 years.  An exceptional customer at that.  Never late on a payment.  I purchased a Motorola Droid X a couple of years ago.  My first smart phone.  I got a great deal!  Now, two years later, I was going to get a new phone, the key word, WAS.  I was going to buy the phone online and with the $30.00 discount, would have been paying $169.00 plus tax, etc.  Then I saw the $30.00 upgrade fee.  I was like, "WTF!"  The upgrade fee basically negates the discount they are offering which brings the phone price back to the original price in the first place.  We all know the phones are not worth the $500-$600 they say they are.  So, I called Verizon and spoke to a customer svc rep.  I explained my situation and asked if there was a way for her to waive the upgrade fee based on my tenure.  At first she said no, it wasn't possible.  When I approached it a different way, basically stating that I would leave when my contract was up and Verizon would lose out on thousands of dollars for a two year contract, she changed her mind and said she could waive the upgrade fee.  I then stated that I wasn't ready to buy the phone just yet and for her to put notes in the system stating that I was to get the fee waived.  I then went to my local "corporate" Verizon wireless store to check on the availability of the phone I wanted to buy.  It wasn't available until July 9th.  I was going to leave, but decided to check the notes on my acct with the clerk.  The notes stated that I was to pay the upgrade fee upfront and contact Verizon wireless customer svc for them to waive the fee.  Fine. I called Verizon to re-verify that I was going to get the fee waived and spoke to a customer svc rep who acted like he didn't know what I was referring to.  I asked him to pull up the notes and read them.  He then stated that Verizon wireless doesn't waive upgrade fees or any fee for that matter.  I then advised him of my 11+ year tenure.  He stated that Verizon doesn't waive fees based on tenure either.  I then stated that I was lied to and that the CSR told me what I wanted to hear just to shut me up.  We kept going back and forth, arguing about the situation and getting nowhere.  I finally stated that unless he was going to honor what the previous CSR noted, I would be leaving when my contract expired.  It didn't phase him at all.  I wrote a strongly worded email to Verizon customer svc.  I received a phone call back a couple of days later from a supervisor.  He stated the same thing, Verizon does not waive upgrade fees.  I mentioned the notes on my acct and he still stated that the fee could not be waived.  I told him that I just want what was promised to me.  He wouldn't budge.  I then stated that Verizon basically lied to me.  He didn't respond.  I took that as a Yes.  GOODBYE VERIZON!!  YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE S**** A**!!!