Phone Upgrade Charge!

[dnv1974]

tikibar1 wrote:

If that "full price" at Sam's of $0.99 requires you to sign a new contract with Verizon (and as far as I know, it does), then you'll lose your unlimited data.

NEGATIVE.....I still have the Unlimited Data. It was not a new contract, it was an upgrade. It helps to know people that work in these local stores.:D Verizon also said that I could not use my phone as a hot spot,that I needed a data package of 2GB or more....well Unlimited is more. I couldn't make them understand that. SOLUTION: Root.

[PATRIOT78]

Thanks, but your support is just not there to that level. It is a lame argument since I can purchase a phone from another source and not pay your fee.  Those that want to drink the water you are offering certainly can choose to do so.  And they can justify it in their own minds if they so choose. Nobody here has swayed my opinion nor have they offered a justification for this charge.  It is what it is.  An additional fee added to the mix.  Verizon stood out as a company that was unique but is slowly morphing into the industry standard of "follow the leader".  That can be evidenced by the remarks by people that "every other company charges the fee". 

Yes, there is a one time upgrade fee of $30.00. It allows us to continue  to provide you with a high level of support from the time you upgrade  throughout the life of the device. Additionally, the fee covers the  costs associated with the device upgrade, including transferring  contacts and data, offering wireless workshops, online device tutorials  and support information. Everything to help you understand and use your  new device easily. 

As stated before, I have always transferred my own contacts, never participated in a wireless workshop, and never used an online device tutorial.  Also, this type of support should be expected from purchasers of a phone, whether there is a discount on the phone or not.

[rcschnoor]

I believe you are missing the whole point. If you are paying a $30 upgrade fee, you are not paying "full price". These prices you are quoting at Sam's and Walmart are NOT full price, but subsidized prices in exchange for signing a new contract. Purchase a new phone at Walmart without signing a new contract and you will be paying MUCH higher prices.

For example, I just checked the price for a Verizon branded Samsung S4 on Walmart without signing a new contract and it is $699.99. That is a BIT more than $100, I believe.

[loyalist51]

Verizon wireless customer support wrote:

Yes, there is a one time upgrade fee of $30.00. It allows us to continue  to provide you with a high level of support from the time you upgrade  throughout the life of the device. Additionally, the fee covers the  costs associated with the device upgrade, including transferring  contacts and data, offering wireless workshops, online device tutorials  and support information. Everything to help you understand and use your  new device easily. 

Then Verizon should individualize this upgrade fee and should be applied to those customers who want to attend workshops at the store; to those who want Verizon to transfer contacts and data; to those who want to watch wireless workshops online; to those who want to listen to device tutorials and support information.  Why are we supposed to pay extra for these services and why do they call it high level customer service if I have to pay for them.

[dnv1974]

rcschnoor wrote:

I believe you are missing the whole point. If you are paying a $30 upgrade fee, you are not paying "full price". These prices you are quoting at Sam's and Walmart are NOT full price, but subsidized prices in exchange for signing a new contract. Purchase a new phone at Walmart without signing a new contract and you will be paying MUCH higher prices.

For example, I just checked the price for a Verizon branded Samsung S4 on Walmart without signing a new contract and it is $699.99. That is a BIT more than $100, I believe.

I am aware that my upgrade required me to renew my contract for another 2 years. The Verizon store told me that if I wanted to keep my unlimited data plan that I "had to pay full price" for the phone. I drove to Sam's. I upgraded my phone,renewed my contract,the phone was $0.99 then the $30 fee was billed to me. I got to keep my unlimited data plan and got the phone at this price. The point is Verizon stores try to get you to get away from the unlimited data plan. I was told also that I couldn't use my phone as a hot spot with this data plan. I was told that I would have to get at least a 2GB data plan. Unlimited is more than 2GB. So I rooted my phone, problem solved.

[budone]

If you went to Sams Club, you not only lost your unlimited data, you were switched to a Share Everything plan.  3rd party retailers do not have the ability to keep you on your current plan or add ons

[pixiedust03]

I can't believe people defend Verizon for this upgrade fee. As someone else said, they are charging this fee because they CAN. Their intention is to get you hooked in a 2-year contract and keep dangling "free" or cheap phones in front of you and encourage you to UPGRADE, hoping you won't notice. Because I bet most people don't. How about paying for those customer services with my ridiculous phone bill??? $165 for 2 lines and one isn't even a smart phone??? REALLY??? That doesn't sound right to me, but that's what our fabulous customer service person set us up with when my husband got on my bill last year.

I was eligible for an upgrade back in January, but didn't because my phone was fine. Then on Sunday, I lost my phone so I went in to the Verizon store to find out what my options were. She looked at my account and the first thing she said (in a pretty condescending tone) was "oh, we need to reconfigure your plan; you have unlimited data!" as if it was MY fault, and I was trying to get over on Verizon. You know why I have unlimited data? Because that's what Verizon was pushing back when I got my first smart phone, so now I'm in "trouble" for it? Then she said something like "you are almost up to 2 GBs!" tsk tsk. Guess what? I have unlimited data and have never once checked to see how much I use, so that really means nothing to me. 2 GBs, 4GBs? I really have no idea.

Did she make a suggestion for a new plan? Not exactly, unless you think 'you're almost up to 2 GBs' is a suggestion. Did she make any suggestions for upgraded phones? No. That's why I was there. I told her I was interested in an Iphone 5, though "interested" in my world doesn't mean married to that idea, I don't really know what I want, I just needed a new phone. Did she mention replacing my phone with my insurance plan? No. I asked her what the Iphone 5 would cost me and she said two-thirty-something, and I asked why it was more than the Apple Store and that's when the upgrade fee came up. I said that I didn't remember a $30 upgrade fee in the past, and she said it was a new fee. That was the last straw of Verizon irritation, I left, without a new phone.

The whole reason that I went into the store was so I could have my options and some phones explained to me. That didn't happen. Apparently, getting me off the data plan was more important than replacing or upgrading my phone. I had to go home and get on the Google machine to figure out what was going on and that's where I found articles on the unlimited data plans being ended, what the new tiered plans were, and the new upgrade fees. Thanks customer service!

All Verizon and any giant corporation like that cares about is making as much money as possible. They try to come up with as many ways possible to bring in money that will irritate the fewest people, or better ways in which they don't notice. I doubt they care about their employees either seeing as they didn't have one chair in the Verizon store, and they all have to stand all day long. They probably found some corporate focus group report that said customers buy phones .009 % more when people are standing.

So now, I'm listening to as many podcasts as possible on my old Blackberry with my unlimited dataplan, considering my options.

[chefgirl50]

I was told the $30 is to cover all the "free" things Verizon gives to its customers.  Seriously, you think we are idiots.  Tell me what you give to us that's free.  We pay for everything.  There is nothing that is free.  Absolutely nothing.

I just called about going in today for my upgrade (it comes due tomorrow) and was told it shouldn't be a problem but I needed to talk to the local store manager.  So the customer service person put me through to the store who said no.  One day - less than 24 hours and I can't get my upgrade?  Reason - the system will charge me full price because they can't override the date.  Well I know that is not the case because they've done it in the past.  I'm so disgusted with Verizon and all these money-hungry, executives who don't care about the working class,middle America.  It's time to look for a change. That's what you get for 25+ years of loyalty - absolutely NOTHING!

[Baxterman]

The main trouble with the device, a Gusto II from Samsung, is the very poor quality of the sound. I'm not referring to music, speech is garbled by the poor quality often requiring me to ask the speaker to repeat what they said. It's just a very poorly made piece of plastic crap, much inferior to other samsung and motorola models I've had in the past. The plastic it is made from is comparable to that used in a cheap child's toy and the design makes handling the device awkward.

I find Verizon's attitude toward long term customers to be unsatisfactory and will be pursuing another option when my current contract expires.

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David

>>Personal information removed<<

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

[SusanSch]

How about clearer advertising.  It wasn't until the end of the upgrade process that I found out about the fee.  Advertisements and product displays tell you how much you will pay for the phone if you extend your contract for 2 more years, but FAIL to mention that there is at least one additional fee.