verizon iphone cook
Verizon today announced that as of April 22 it will initiate a $30 upgrade fee for current customers moving to new devices.

On April 22, Verizon Wireless is implementing a $30 upgrade fee for existing customers purchasing new mobile equipment at a discounted price with a two-year contract. This fee will help us continue to provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect which includes Wireless Workshops, online educational tools, and consultations with experts who provide advice and guidance on devices that are more sophisticated than ever.

Verizon is the last of the major U.S. carriers to add a device upgrade fee, a secondary revenue stream carriers justify by citing costs associated with setting up new devices and updating account information. Sprint and AT&T previously charged $18 device upgrade fees, but Sprint doubled its fee to $36 last September and AT&T followed suit back in February.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

bevo Avatar
170 months ago
ugh.

we are being nickeled and dimed to death by all these companies...
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Matthew Yohe Avatar
170 months ago
This fee will help us continue to provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect which includes Wireless Workshops, online educational tools, and consultations with experts who provide advice and guidance on devices that are more sophisticated than ever.

Here's an idea, stop these programs, cut the fee, and direct these people to Apple's support.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boshii Avatar
170 months ago
So these upgrade fees aren't charged when you are a new customer? What's the incentive to stay with your current provider then??

When you're new they call it an activation fee.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dweez Avatar
170 months ago
That is such ********.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nothlit Avatar
170 months ago
so I am wondering why the carriers don't cut the monthly fees after our contract is up?

We sign a 2 year contract to make sure that our new fancy phone is subsidized, but once that period is over, shouldn't the subsidy payment be discontinued?

The whole thing is a racket.

Maybe I'll switch carriers every 2 years.

They'll just hit you with a new-customer "activation fee" instead of an existing-customer "upgrade fee." You can't escape it.

----------

Hmm....Glad I have AT&T...never had any issues and they never try these kind of things.

Uh, AT&T has always charged an upgrade fee. It used to be $18. Now it's $36.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
webworks415 Avatar
170 months ago
We need to go against this. It has been proven that if the people speak up loud and clear, these wireless companies have no choice but to make us happy. This is such BS....it's not like any work goes into upgrading our devices. If anything they should be crediting US for continuing to use their service and extending our contracts.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...