Upgrade Fee Waiver

ATT is making 2 year contract difficult to get, the $45 upgrade fee is one of the deterrents, so no, they will not waive the fee.

 

Verizon also charges more for customers who want to use contracts to upgrade.

But Verizons currently offered plan (the only one for new customers) can only use the device payment plan.  

 

 FYI, we have all upgraded in the past few months by purchasing phones elsewhere.  No fee and phones are generally cheaper.

 

 

I have the same experience: longtime customer. In the past I could get unnecessary fees waived. No go this time. Talked to supervisor, still no go. Seems corporate has tied the hands of the customer service reps.
What is the "upgrade fee" for anyway? I just bought a phone from them and signed a 2 year contract for spending @$200+ a month for the family. Seems like the &45/line upgrade fee is just money grab because they can get away with it.
I dont remember being told at the Att store about the fee. It just showed up on my bill, along with charges for 2 phone insurance policies that I didn't ask for or want. ATT Service rep said they could stop the insurance for the future, but not refund me for the current charges. I would have to go back to the store where I bought the phone to see if I could get those charges refunded. Just how I want to spend me free time.
Talked to a friend on Verizon who recently got a new phone. No upgrade fee. He even got a discount on the phone for being a loyal customer.
ATT management seems to be taking the company back to the monopoly days when their motto was "we don't care, we don't have to." Not sure that it will serve them well now they have alternative competition. I'm not feeling like being very loyal to them right now.

@Jshsea

The upgrade fee for contracts has been increased deliberately to encourage closing the Next installment program.  

 

All US carriers are changing the way they do business to control service costs.

In the past the cost of phones and service were combined.  Those "free" phones were never free and the reason a 2 year contract with early termination fee was required to recover the cost of phones.

Since the cost has increased from a couple hundred to closer to $1,000 for the flagship phones, this doesn't work as well if the cost is passed on in higher service fees.

It also isn't fair for someone who keeps a phone for 4 years to pay as much as some one who buys top of the line and gets early upgrades all the time.

 

In February the unlimited cost goes up to $35.  In March the 2 year contact option ends for all customers.