Upgrade fee for iPhone 6

Just remember to tell anyone planning on switching to AT&T about this ridiculous "one time/each time fee"

that $720 cost is misleading, that INCLUDES the monthly plan cost, which you would be paying even if you didn't upgrade. with NEXT, you pay the full price of the phone but keep the $25 per month discount.

If you think about the phone cost over 24 months, the phone is still $450, but with the subsidized cost, there is the upfront cost of the phone + $40 upgrade fee + the $25 per month loss of discount (24 x 25 = $600), you are money way ahead to do NEXT.

AT&T (and most of the other providers) have done away with subsidizing phone cost. One way or another, you are going to pay for the phone, either by paying full price with NEXT, or losing the out of contract discount for 24 months. The choice is yours.

I too am a long time AT&T customer. 

First:  Activation fees are charged when you are a NEW customer, they should not be charged for existing customers.  This fee is an "Upgrade" fee which is rediculous.  I've upgraded my phones every 2 years and never had any issues with AT&T.  This was not explained to me by Apple or Target where I purchased my new phones.  I got $120 in one time charges for "upgrade" fees to convert 3 of my 5 lines to iPhone 6's

Second:  I had a family plan with AT&T that gave me a discount of $25 per line that I lost doing this upgrade.  All I did was upgrade my iPhone 5 to an iPhone 6.  Do you think anyone explained that doing this upgrade would cancel this discount?  No, of course not, why would they - if every AT&T customer knew this they would no longer be AT&T customers.  They can't just change your plan without you knowing just because you upgraded your phone, that's rediculous.

The AT&T Next program is not for me.  I don't want to "lease" my phone and increase my monthly payment.  Although now I'm paying $75 more a month on what's supposed to be my family plan.  

I'm sick of companies doing this just becasue they can.  We are all not lawyers (or at least most of us aren't), so we don't sit at the store and read page after page of legal jargon when purchasing an upgraded phone (I'm assuming that somewhere in that if you asked you would find it - but who knows).  Legally they need to explain things to you as normal people (that's what I was told).  These fees should have been explained to me and they should have told me that my plan would essentially be cancelled and my discount would be lost.

I submitted to the BBB, I suggest everyone do the same as a "shame on you" to AT&T.  I also submitted to local news stations to see if one of them will pick up the story and show the viewers what AT&T is doing without their customers knowlege.  I don't know if it will go anywhere but I'm hoping it will.  If we want to make a difference, I suggest we all submit our stories to the media.

Another happy AT&T customer I see, I too have a thread here due to their lousy attitude towards long time loyal consumers.. I've been with AT&T for over a decade, I have 5 lines and when I switched plans I was told by the ATT rep the line that was already well overdue for a upgrade will be upgraded like I always did when I wanted to upgrade(pay $199 agree to 2 year contract) but when I tried 2 weeks ago I was told I had to either lose the discount on that line ($20 a month) or as you put it LEASE it for 24-30 months...  Both options suck!!

Guess what AT&T's Customer Support say about the AT&T rep misleading me about upgrading my elidgable line, "we're sorry you were misinformed but we could enroll you in the Next Plan" omg really???

That's how you treat long time loyal customers???     Not only did they NEVER try and make good for one of they're reps misleading/lying me they actually tried  to get me to jack up my monthly bill with one of they're new upgrade plans!!!

I will be taking my 5 lines to another carrier after the holiday season..

Anyone know how I can contact JD Powers!!!

Yes, both Verizon and ATT charge an upgrade fee of $40.00.  The issue we have is that you can switch carriers and pocket $150.00 or remain with you carrier lose the 150.00 and pay them 40.00 for the pleasure.  

That is why people are upset, that and they train their employees to say ATT Next which costs yo u a whole lot more than buying the phone outright.  We feel insulted, I recognize this is the way they do business, but our issue is that they treat their existing customers worse than someone who is not a customer.

This is just like the cable companies, very frustrating.  I am figuring out if I want to bounce between carriers every couple years since they don't implement loyalty programs to keep me.

This is the WORST policy ever. Instead of thanking customers for renewal, AT&T is charging a fee?

Hi All,

This thread sums up the general issue for long time customers. I have been with AT & T since the cingular days. I am also distraught about the fact that at this point no matter what I do as far as an upgrade my monthly fee will go up. You would hope after 15 plus years that they would have a solution that does not mean raising your bill between $15-20. I would prefer to pay the one time upgrade fee than pay more monthly for the next 2 years. When will an AT & T higher up do the right thing and reward loyalty? 

It is sad really! They dont care that much about the long time customers. I had a social media person reach out to me after seeing my post. Basically did nothing for me at all. I suggested at the end why don't you throw in more data so I feel a little better she responded with yes at $20 more per month. I said you do really get the point. I still have the iphone 4 I am looking at options going forward.