AT&T Joins Verizon in Fee-Jolly Land with Increased Activation Fees for BYOD & NEXT

[dgstorm]

Earlier this week we shared the "thrilling" new fees that Verizon will be tacking on to the most obscure situations imaginable. First, we will sadly report that it looks like that was more than a rumor. Several sources picked up the story, and there is a new confirmation out today for it at Engadget. Fun!

Apparently, AT&T thought Big Red might be a bit lonely in happy-happy-joy-joy-FEE-JOLLY land. They will be announcing a couple of newly increased fees. As you can see in the screen-cap above, starting today, AT&T will be charging a $20 fee instead of the previous $15 new activations and upgrades on BYOD and NEXT plans.

Yay! We get to spend more money for the same thing!

It's too bad this isn't an April Fool's Joke (and that is not sarcasm.)

Thanks for the tip, Anonymous!

 

[dgstorm]

Here's another confirmation of the Verizon fees: Verizon is adding a $20 upgrade fee even if you buy your device full price

 

[pc747]

Ok raise your hands if you were surprised that att followed big brother red in making money?



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[Vepaot]

AT&T: "How dare they swim in pools of money bigger than ours!"

 

[mountainbikermark]

Ok raise your hands if you were surprised that att followed big brother red in making money?



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I'll bet AT&T thought of it first but Verizon wanted to be number 1 in this arena also and beat them to implementing it. The norm is AT&T raises some rate or fee and Verizon follows suit.
Wonder how T-Mobile and Sprint will market themselves as the anti fee raiser.

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[kodiak799]

I wonder if you will avoid the upgrade fee if you order online from Best Buy and just replace it with your old sim before activating.

Complete rip-off to charge upgrade fees if you don't go to the store! It's basically all automated and digitized and doesn't cost them a dime, I don't think.

 

[pc747]

Can you say nexus?

I can from here on out.

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[Mustang02]

Can you say nexus?

I can from here on out.

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Exactly. Just swap the sim and done.

 

[jackiescivic]

I wonder if you will avoid the upgrade fee if you order online from Best Buy and just replace it with your old sim before activating.

Complete rip-off to charge upgrade fees if you don't go to the store! It's basically all automated and digitized and doesn't cost them a dime, I don't think.

I doubt it. Fees are generated immediately, to my knowledge, and not by sim card.

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[mountainbikermark]

Can you say nexus?

I can from here on out.

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Can you say pre pay? No fees or other bs.

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[cr6]

That's fine if you're not concerned with having a data plan over 10GB. Otherwise, fees come with territory. It's just one less latte from Starbucks...

S5 tap'n

 

[kodiak799]

I doubt it. Fees are generated immediately, to my knowledge, and not by sim card.

So you're saying 3rd party retailers are tacking on $20 to the sale and then sending VZW a check every quarter? You're telling me a plan change is linked to a new sim (aka "the loophole") but upgrade fees are linked to the point of purchase?

That would be highly unusual for a service provider to do that on products they don't manufacture through retailers they don't own.

 

[dgstorm]

Those nasty upgrade fees at AT&T just became official:

http://www.att.com/esupport/article...w-Ijl2ecGFluC96Blt9Pylxg#!/wireless/KM1008601