Apple News
Verizon set to add new $20 charge to smartphone upgrades [Update]
Update: In a statement to Droid Life, Verizon confirmed the move, saying:
“The upgrade fee helps cover our increased support costs associated with customers switching devices. Customers can pay the charge when they upgrade, bill it to their account or trade in an old device to offset the cost. The fee for upgrading on device payment is still half of the two-year contract upgrade fee.”
Original story: Verizon is reportedly preparing to implement a new upgrade fee for most of its customers. While customers on two-year contracts currently pay $40 to upgrade their device, the carrier will apparently implement a new $20 charge for upgrades on device payment plans, as well as those upgrades purchased for their full retail price, beginning Monday, April 4.
A supposed Verizon memo, obtained by MacRumors, outlines the changes.
As noted in the memo, Verizon claims that the charge is necessitated by “increasing support costs associated with customers switching their devices.” The on…