You may remember just over a week ago when we learned about Verizon’s plans to raise activation fees for new lines or new phones for old lines for a wider variety of their customers. Someone over at AT&T Wireless apparently thought that sounded like a good idea, since the carrier will also raise its upgrade fee to $20. Worse: Verizon won’t impose the fee if you purchase your own phone elsewhere, but AT&T will. [More]
activation fees
AT&T Raising Activation Fees, Adding Activation Fee For New AT&T Next Users
By 7.22.15
Starting Aug. 1, activating a device on AT&T is going to get more expensive. The Death Star, perhaps power mad from its triumphant acquisition of DirecTV, has decided to not only raise activation fees for contract customers, but also to make its AT&T Next and Bring-Your-Own-Device plans less affordable by adding an activation fee for new customers. [More]
AT&T Wireless Rep Refunds My Phone Upgrade Fees Because I Didn’t Whine About Them
By 1.9.13
Natalie called up AT&T Wireless yesterday to ask about a few relatively small charges on her bill. The customer service representative offered her a refund of two $36 activation fees due to phone upgrades, explaining that it was because Natalie was quite possibly the only person who had called AT&T that day who hadn’t complained about activation fees. (We’re paraphrasing and exaggerating slightly.) Then the representative gave her another credit, ostensibly for being a loyal customer of twelve years. Natalie was stunned, and couldn’t think of a way to repay the CSR…until she found our site. [More]
Buying A Verizon Phone Through Sam's Club Has No Activation Fee, Except For How It Does
By 4.13.11
Lisa bought a Droid X for her daughter on her family plan, going through the Sam’s Club Mobile website. Now, the site promised a deal where there was no activation fee, so she was confused when she opened her first bill and saw a $25 activation fee. Sam’s Club has refunded the fee to her, but she won’t see it back for another three months or so. [More]
Verizon Changes DSL Without Your Permission, Demands Multiple Fees To Fix It
By 8.8.08
Reader Kevin wanted to sign up for Verizon’s One Bill service, so he called to see if he qualified. The CSR told him that he did, so he signed up for it. Turns out, the CSR secretly signed him up for a more expensive DSL plan because his current one did not qualify. Now Verizon wants an early termination fee for the new, faster DSL and an activation fee to put Kevin back on the plan he used to have. Yuck.
Follow Up: AT&T Says There's No Activation Fee For GoPhones
By 3.14.08
Earlier this week we posted an email from a man who said an AT&T salesman tried to charge him an “activation fee” to switch his daughter’s already-active SIM card to a GoPhone. We got a lot of useful (if sometimes contradictory) advice from readers in the comments section, and now an AT&T spokesman has written in with an official statement about it.
AT&T Says They'll Charge $25 "Activation Fee" To Move SIM From A Broken Phone To A GoPhone
By 3.13.08
Does AT&T really charge a $25 “activation fee” when you move your SIM card to a GoPhone? A father had to replace his child’s broken cellphone over the weekend, and the rep at the AT&T store told him the only way to avoid an ETF or plan extension was to buy a GoPhone and pay an activation fee, even though the SIM card was the same. Online, you can buy a new GoPhone and have the activation fee waved. Way to treat your current customers, AT&T.
Audio: Sprint Waives Activation Fee If You Ask Nicely
By 10.18.06
Looks like there’s yet another charge Sprint lets its retail stores charge you that is totally unnecessary.
