Big Red: We'll Charge You An Upgrade Fee Too
April 11, 2012
It was bound to happen. Until today, the largest wireless provider in the U.S. was the only one not charging an upgrade fee. Unfortunately, that has changed.
Verizon Wireless has just announced that they will begin charging customers each time they upgrade their phone. The $30 fee begins on April 22.
According to a statement issued by Verizon, the fee will “help us continue to provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect.”
AT&T and Sprint charge $36 each time a user upgrades, while T-Mobile charges $18.
In the end, $30 might not seem like a lot to pay. After all, the fee is only charged once every two years, assuming you buy a new handset after each contract expires. Still, the fee will especially hurt budget-conscious customers, and families with many cell phones.
Are you steamed about this news, or did you expect it?