Big Red Out For Blood: Verizon To Charge $30 Upgrade Fee Beginning April 22


Looks like Big Red is out for blood after tremendous consumer backlash put the kibosh on their plans to charge customers a $2 “convenience fee” to pay their bill. We would have been better off surrendering our $2 because now Verizon is pulling the ol’ “upgrade fee out of a hat” trick. That’s right, starting April 22, Verizon customers can expect to pay $30 for the privilege of purchasing a new device while signing over their souls for the next two years.

Verizon will of course point out that it’s not an uncommon practice and in fact the other major carriers implement some form of upgrade fee. However, I find it despicable that they are claiming these fees are to:

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.

Seriously? Does anyone even use those services? Even so, wouldn’t it make more sense to charge an upfront fee to users who wish to take advantage of said services? Why should everyone else have to be responsible for footing the bill? Regardless, expect to pay a $30 fee for upgrading to a new subsidized device starting April 22. If anyone can get blood out of a rock, it’s certainly Verizon.