AT&T also charges this assinine fee. I called to complain, explaining that I just paid $100 for a $6 phone and I refused to pay any extra charges. They took it off my bill but said "next time" I will have to pay the fees. I said there will be NO next time. We've been with them for 8 years, you'd think we'd get treated a little better.
I know, I know. *eye roll*

Makes me kind of glad that I'm about to move overseas to a place with no T-Mobile. I'm unhealthily in love with my Sidekick, but with the random fees and less-than-stellar customer service, I'm only sticking with T-Mobile because I'm only in the States for another 3 months.

I tried buying a phone from Amazon but it was branded cingular despite being advertised as "universal unlocked". If you like a phone try the actual manufacturer first for a good price and a non-branded phone.

and I highly doubt this fee constitutes a materially adverse change. Almost all carriers charge the fee and I don't think I've ever heard of someone using it as a basis to escape a contract.

Just be persistent and don't let them abuse random fees.

I am a T-mobile post-paid customer, and I bought one of T-mobile's prepaid phones and switched to using it, and the picture of my phone instantly started showing up when I next logged into my online account. I never told anyone that I had switched phones, and I never paid a $18 "upgrade fee".

@coloradogray: I use Verizon Wireless. I have never ever had to pay an upgrade/activation fee on a replacement phone. I also have never paid to get a new phone since I take advantage of their "new every two" discount.

Sadly, it's just another scam on top of everything American wireless carriers do...like charging exorbitant amounts for text messaging that costs practically nothing to run, or AT&T telling me I need to pay 3x as much for data service just because I have a Palm phone. As for the latter, I suppose that if they don't even want to sell said service to me then I'll just stick to wi-fi on my iPod Touch and keep the $$$ out of AT&T's pockets.

I have a 4 year old phone still working just fine. Will I be charged an $18 fee for covering the costs to maintain old technology?

How about a $20 Drive-Away Fee from an eBay motors seller.

ELITEMOTORSGROUP
In addition to the price of the vehicle, a document fee of $150.00 and a $20 Drive-away fee (Non- Illinois residents) is applied to the final price of the vehicle. A $199 Vin etch is included on all vehicles and is etched on every body panel.

@bleigh: agreed. I've never heard of Verizon charging an upgrade fee. Usually, you are offered a price on the phone with a new 2 year contract, or 1 year contract. (And of course, just buying the phone outright without any contractual terms)

Many of their phones are for free if you are out of contract, mine was 3 years ago. No upgrade fee, no activation fee, nothing. They even sent it 2 day Fed Ex. If this phone breaks, I won't get another one from their website... but my significant other breaks/loses his phone CONSTANTLY (I mean, every 3-4 months) and we just buy the phone on E-bay, activate it for free.

Sure switch to another carrier that will generally cost your more money plus cost you $35 in activation instead of an $18 upgrade fee. Most customers don't upgrade anyways and don't care about the latest phones so this fee will never hit them.

T-mobile won't be winning my business with performance like that.

1) Everybody charges an upgrade fee. It's not an excuse, but going to another company isn't going to resolve it. You'll still be getting into a 1-2 year contract for your phone or price plan, and then paying a $30-$40 activation fee.

2) $18 upgrade fee or firing phone reps and closing stores. It is really that simple.

Here is a really good wikipedia article about it. It has been going on for decades and permeates every sector of consumer goods.

[en.wikipedia.org]

I wouldn't mind paying 30$ to just get a new phone.

@RedwoodFlyer: Oh I'm sure threatening to cancel does wonders on the price- but for some people I know who use Verizon, they pick out a phone for free in exchange for another 2 year contract.

When they could of bought the "new" phone for $30 on E-bay, activated it themselves for free on the website, and saved themselves 2 years of grief and ETF fees if they decided to change carriers. It's only beneficial when you are trading in phones every year or two for really high tech models.

@RedwoodFlyer: Anyone who is a Family Guy fan, is a friend of mine. A nice red heart for you now.

Upgrade fees and crappy pricing for phones that aren't new activations are the whole reason I keep switching carriers every contract. I'd buy them outright but usually notice that the money I save through who I go with would be cheaper than paying the etf.

@dragonfire81:

I can maybe see why that is true with Sprint, since they use CDMA and each phone has to be "activated" in order for it to be used. However, that argument makes absolutely no sense with a GSM carrier such as T-Mobile. In T-Mobile's case, no phones ever have to be "activated" -- the customer just takes their sim card out of the old phone and sticks it in the new phone and that's all there is to it.

These wacky waiving inflatable arm flailing tube men are great!

AT&T charges this fee, at least when you upgrade online. Free phones suddenly cost $18 when you check out.

They said any activation, whether new or an upgrade, since a new phone is being activated on the service, incurs a cost and this activation fee is to offset that cost.

Having said that, I would venture a good THIRD of calls I took were from people upset at activation fees (either initial or upgrade), for the most part we were to credit these back if the customer complained, the fun part was later when I got my ability to credit taken away (I had to go to a supervisor for all credits) because evidently I'd been giving too many of them and costing the company too much money.

What is probably the worst part of this zombie fee, is the current customers who voiced their opinions about this fee in the first place to get it removed.

The fee was removed to save customer satisfactio, then snuck back in 5 months later... did they think that no one would notice?

If their services are otherwise acceptable, then maybe their customers should pursue another vendor to buy their phones and avoid the fee. By upgrading their equipment and accepting this useless fee, they are only condoning it.

I honestly buy my phones on Ebay with no issues, 3 years and counting. I refuse to accept another 2 year contract over a $50 phone.

Sorry, T-mobile customers. This really sucks.