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ask them to waive the fee. I never have and never will pay a $40 fee for them to activate my phone. Pretty simple really.
 
FIRST NET also commits robbery, they charge you a $30 “pre order surcharge” AND a $30 activation fee. They also add surcharges and taxes on both!
 
I switched to Verizon mid-cycle from TMobile so this is the first time I am seeing this "upgrade fee." I've been on the Apple iPhone Upgrade Program for years and have never seen it. I am also on a Verizon eSIM so I'm wondering if it might be harder to get this fee waived now because of that.
 
In my email confirmation for my order this morning, there is a line showing a $40 upgrade fee through Verizon. Can't I just toss the SIM card that comes in the new phone and switch my current SIM over to avoid this fee or am I missing something?
I wish I read this thread before i placed my order. So I placed an order through the Apple Store app, and selected Verizon instead of SIM free. There was another screen, and I selected that I would activate later. My e-mail confirmation doesn't have the $40 upgrade fee, and I'm also paying full retail price. I'm not sure if I should expect to see the $40 upgrade fee later or if I'm in the clear since the e-mail didn't have that fee.
 
Live chatting with Verizon now to try and get it waived.

UPDATE: Waived.

Screen Shot 2019-09-13 at 1.33.02 PM.png
 
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In my email confirmation for my order this morning, there is a line showing a $40 upgrade fee through Verizon. Can't I just toss the SIM card that comes in the new phone and switch my current SIM over to avoid this fee or am I missing something?

Another reason to always purchase the unlocked version. Plus, it won’t have the Verizon bloatware loaded on it.
 
Another reason to always purchase the unlocked version. Plus, it won’t have the Verizon bloatware loaded on it.

What does Verizon pre-load onto the iPhone? And wouldn't you be able to easily delete it? I don't recall them pre-loading anything though. It's not an Android phone so worst case you reinstall the OS when it arrives.
 
Not at all. I simply asked what the fee was for and he offered to waive it. That was it.
Seems like they have this fee because not everyone calls in to ask to have it removed. I wonder if they figured you ask, they will just do it. The people who don't ask, well, it's free money for Verizon.
 
Not at all. I simply asked what the fee was for and he offered to waive it. That was it.
That's good to hear, I've had issues in the past getting them to waive the fee, last year I did 2 iPhones and the best they'd do was to waive 1 fee. It really was a battle to get the 2nd one waived. Had to take it to a supervisor 2x. Also to note, I had 4 lines with them at that time.
 
That's good to hear, I've had issues in the past getting them to waive the fee, last year I did 2 iPhones and the best they'd do was to waive 1 fee. It really was a battle to get the 2nd one waived. Had to take it to a supervisor 2x. Also to note, I had 4 lines with them at that time.
Maybe is because they want to keep me. I will be only 1 year next month that I've been with them after ditching AT&T.
 
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What does Verizon pre-load onto the iPhone? And wouldn't you be able to easily delete it? I don't recall them pre-loading anything though. It's not an Android phone so worst case you reinstall the OS when it arrives.
Nothing. There's never been any sort of carrier bloatware on any iPhone.
 
just chatted with a virtual agent and got my adjustment. At first he was only willing to give $20 but I politely asked if he could adjust it to $40 and he went to ask his supervisor.
 
I wish I read this thread before i placed my order. So I placed an order through the Apple Store app, and selected Verizon instead of SIM free. There was another screen, and I selected that I would activate later. My e-mail confirmation doesn't have the $40 upgrade fee, and I'm also paying full retail price. I'm not sure if I should expect to see the $40 upgrade fee later or if I'm in the clear since the e-mail didn't have that fee.
I did the same thing. I'm thinking that if you remove the SIM, and just put your existing one in it, it might move around the automatic activation and prevent the fee. However, it may be linked to the IMEI.
 
In my email confirmation for my order this morning, there is a line showing a $40 upgrade fee through Verizon. Can't I just toss the SIM card that comes in the new phone and switch my current SIM over to avoid this fee or am I missing something?


Only if you buy an unlocked phone outright and pay in full upfront.
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I was with Verizon for 15+ years and dealt with this a few times.

In general, you’ll have far more success asking if there’s anything they can do to offset the fee vs. asking them to waive it.

They never waived it for me but I never paid it. How? The put a credit on my next bill for me.

BY THE WAY....
Complaining about how greedy Company’s X is on MRF accomplishes nothing. It’s their company and their prerogative to charge what they like. Tell the company either with your words or with your dollars or get over it.

P.S. Try to remember, it’s the company not the over-worked and under-compensated CSR on the other end of the line making the policies.

They’ve always waived it for me. I don’t know if it’s a factor, but I’ve been a customer since 1989.
 
I just got off of Verizon chat. They couldn't waive the fee because I already ordered, but they added a credit to my next bill. It took 3 different reps before I got a yes. Some of their questions were ridiculous.

The first rep told me they could only waive the fee if I purchased a case, screen protector AND a walled, wireless or car charger. After push back, they told me they couldn't do anything and I could call customer service to talk to the loyalty team. I asked if I could chat with customer service and was told no. I ended the chat and started another one. The second rep told me that since I purchased online my upgrade fee was already reduced to $20 and they couldn't further reduce it. They then told me the following (which I couldn't believe):

"However, there is a way to get some of the money back from the upgrade fee! If you have any old phones lying around, you will be able to trade those phones in for cash! Do you have any old phones lying around?"

I told them that I'm a long time customer and that I would prefer to have a credit added to my account for the upgrade fee. They then told me they couldn't do anything, but could transfer me to a customer care agent (guess the 1st agent was wrong). I asked the customer care agent to add a credit to my next bill. They reviewed my account and then gave me the credit.
 
What does Verizon pre-load onto the iPhone? And wouldn't you be able to easily delete it? I don't recall them pre-loading anything though. It's not an Android phone so worst case you reinstall the OS when it arrives.

I just got off of Verizon chat. They couldn't waive the fee because I already ordered, but they added a credit to my next bill. It took 3 different reps before I got a yes. Some of their questions were ridiculous.

The first rep told me they could only waive the fee if I purchased a case, screen protector AND a walled, wireless or car charger. After push back, they told me they couldn't do anything and I could call customer service to talk to the loyalty team. I asked if I could chat with customer service and was told no. I ended the chat and started another one. The second rep told me that since I purchased online my upgrade fee was already reduced to $20 and they couldn't further reduce it. They then told me the following (which I couldn't believe):

"However, there is a way to get some of the money back from the upgrade fee! If you have any old phones lying around, you will be able to trade those phones in for cash! Do you have any old phones lying around?"

I told them that I'm a long time customer and that I would prefer to have a credit added to my account for the upgrade fee. They then told me they couldn't do anything, but could transfer me to a customer care agent (guess the 1st agent was wrong). I asked the customer care agent to add a credit to my next bill. They reviewed my account and then gave me the credit.

Wow. Too much trouble and time spent doing all of that. I’ll pass
 
Wow. Too much trouble and time spent doing all of that. I’ll pass
Only took about 10 minutes (6 of it being on hold waiting for the reps to connect) and since it's chat on line and not calling it wasn't too bad. If I couldn't get a yes in 3 tries, then I was going to just stop.
 
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