Verizon - New $30 Upgrade Fee - Remember the $2 Convenience Fee?

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waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
I hate verizon. but where i live they have the best coverage.

I have D2 and thinking of getting a basic phone. while i love the phone and the little things that come with it. I don't feel i make use of the $30 a month internet. every time i connect to it (besides maps) is when i am at a place with free wi-fi.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
I hate verizon. but where i live they have the best coverage.

I have D2 and thinking of getting a basic phone. while i love the phone and the little things that come with it. I don't feel i make use of the $30 a month internet. every time i connect to it (besides maps) is when i am at a place with free wi-fi.

Take your droid over to Page Plus.

$55 bucks gets you unlimited talk, text and 2 gig of data.

https://www.pagepluscellular.com/Online Store/Minutes/55 Plan Card.aspx
 

Kreon

Golden Member
Oct 22, 2006
1,329
0
0
I love US Cellular. No BS fees, fantastic customer service, great cell service, free early upgrades, discounts for all kinds of things (auto-payment, paying on time, etc). Sure the sticker price is a bit higher than others (especially prepaids) but for me its worth it.

And they respect my privacy (no CIQ or crap like it, don't allow phone manufacturers to use it). They also keep records for less time than almost all other carriers and won't give cutomer data up without a warrant. That's worth a few dollars in my opinion as well.

Edit: I also have a 5 GB soft data cap. And it seems nothing happens if I go over, other than a stern "please don't go over again".
 

basslover1

Golden Member
Aug 4, 2004
1,921
0
76
LMAO you realize that problem exists moreso with other carriers right? I'm not a huge fan of Verizon's (or any other cell phone carriers) practices, but I would agree their coverage far exceeds many others. I live in the boonies and have no issues with service and I've tried 3-4 other carriers with nothing but bad luck.

Sadly, cell phones are becoming one of those things you just get used to having and deal with the BS. At least you can switch carriers, but you are still using the other guys towers etc.

Funny, I tried T-mobile for two weeks with my unlocked Gnex, and didn't have a single signal issue with it, in the exact same places I use my Verizon Gnex.

Like I said, area dependent.
 

ImpulsE69

Lifer
Jan 8, 2010
14,946
1,077
126
Speaking of this thread though, the wife and I are both up for upgrades so we were out looking at phones, and we see a -$30 discount for upgrading, not a +$30 upgrade charge. We've been completely to the checkout (without checking out). Where are you actually seeing this fee be added?

Were you acutually due for an upgrade?
 

mnewsham

Lifer
Oct 2, 2010
14,539
428
136
In the DC metro area if you are using the subway a lot verizon is the only option for many, it is the only carrier to have signal in the tunnels under the city.
 

djnsmith7

Platinum Member
Apr 13, 2004
2,612
1
0
Speaking of this thread though, the wife and I are both up for upgrades so we were out looking at phones, and we see a -$30 discount for upgrading, not a +$30 upgrade charge. We've been completely to the checkout (without checking out). Where are you actually seeing this fee be added?

Were you acutually due for an upgrade?

I see the $30 upgrade fee on the final checkout page. Yes, I'm eligible for an upgrade.
 

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
17,571
8
0
Did you ask CS to waive the fee? My parents have been with AT&T for years (way back to the BellSouth days) and my dad has gotten the fee waived every single time he's upgraded or renewed a contract.
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
Funny how people bitch about this when Verizon finally jumps on board, but doesn't care that others have been doing it for a while now. Where was all the outrage about their shady business practices?

my buisness discount gets the fee waived :D
 

WaTaGuMp

Lifer
May 10, 2001
21,207
2,506
126
I have never paid an upgrade fee with Sprint. The one time they tried to charge me for it I called them and they removed it right on the spot. My last upgrade I even got some credits and didn't have a bill for almost 4 months.
 

djnsmith7

Platinum Member
Apr 13, 2004
2,612
1
0
Did you ask CS to waive the fee? My parents have been with AT&T for years (way back to the BellSouth days) and my dad has gotten the fee waived every single time he's upgraded or renewed a contract.

Absolutely. And I've had fees waived over the years. He said they received specific instructions to not waive this particular fee.
 

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,230
701
126
Absolutely. And I've had fees waived over the years. He said they received specific instructions to not waive this particular fee.

I tried to do the same. Even stated that I most likely would just look around and switch to another carrier and was told "good luck" and asked if there is anything else she could do for me?

Now the shared data plan stuff starting on June 28th (announced earlier but new story today). I don't need a data plan...just a stinking phone that I can call and send a few texts on (not many of them either).
 

ImpulsE69

Lifer
Jan 8, 2010
14,946
1,077
126
I tried to do the same. Even stated that I most likely would just look around and switch to another carrier and was told "good luck" and asked if there is anything else she could do for me?

Now the shared data plan stuff starting on June 28th (announced earlier but new story today). I don't need a data plan...just a stinking phone that I can call and send a few texts on (not many of them either).

Awesome, it costs more and gets less than my current contract. Gotta love the ever decreasing options. Ma Bell here we come.

But on the flip side, if I understand it correctly people with tons of phones and high usage would win out over current contracts.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
Now the shared data plan stuff starting on June 28th (announced earlier but new story today). I don't need a data plan...just a stinking phone that I can call and send a few texts on (not many of them either).

I just read up on that shared data plan. Any stupid false hopes I had on that being intriguing were shattered.
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
Don't think of it as the new shared data plans. Think of it as a way to get people without the profitable smartphones and required data plans to pay the same amount as those with them even if they don't have one.
 

djnsmith7

Platinum Member
Apr 13, 2004
2,612
1
0
The Share Everything plan doesn't seem like a deal at all. If anything, it's intended to get you to pay more for what you have. That's how I read it, anyway.

Seems to me, that as of late, Verizon is starting to think their customer base is too lazy to pick up a calculator & too ignorant to figure out when you're being ripped off.
 
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Sonikku

Lifer
Jun 23, 2005
15,911
4,945
136
Couldn't agree more.

People where I live would even surpass one month's grocery shopping to wait outside an Apple store.

Un-be-lieveable...

That's nothing. If anything American peasants eat too much anyway. In China at least they're willing to actually part with something valuable. Like a kidney.