Upgrade Fee?

[AaronWasHere]

So, I was browsing on my T-Mo today and checked out the 9700 that is an additional $50 off with a new 2 yr. My contract ends on Jan. 4 '10, so I qualify for an upgrade, but I noticed that I would have finished out the online checkout, it wanted to add an $18 or (something like that) for an upgrade fee? What the deuce? Is that because I'm not completely out of my contract? I've only had T-Mo for this contract so I haven't needed to upgrade. Is that normal for store orders too, or just online?

[renesandy]

The $18 upgrade fee has been around for awhile now. Basically you're gonna have to pay $18 to upgrade, the fee is self-explanatory.
Most, if not all, carriers do this now.
I'm picking up my 9700 tomorrow at the store, and calculated it to be $183w/upgrade fee and taxes.
Also, when you logged in to upgrade, did the $149.99 come up as the price? Mine still lists $199.99

[AaronWasHere]

Bah, that is just dumb... grumblerakkafrakka

How do you figure it's dumb? You can't wait the extra month to avoid it altogether?

I'd say if you're really trying to avoid an extra $18 charge, go to a TMO store and see what they can do for you.

[mandrak011]

Even if he waits he'll still have to pay upgrade fee. There is nothing t-mobile stores can do for you as that's automatically added when they process upgrade. The only thing you can do is call the customer care and whine for 15 minutes.

[AaronWasHere]

The $18 isn't the issue, it's just the idea of paying extra to upgrade when you figure a company would want you to do it to get a customer into a 2 yr agreement. Granted, I guess you could look at it as a way to get back a small chunk of the cost you lose, but its seems like an odd policy. I was going to wait to the end of term or beyond anyway, but the Black Friday deal is tempting.

[zenstorm]

Call Customer Care, I had some issues when upgrading, and even though I was charged at store level for the upgrade, customer care credited the amount to my account. Honestly T Mobile will give you a credit of you've been inconvenienced.

[EdS817]

I found out about the $18 upgrade fee when speaking with customer service. She told me it was to cover the cost of replacing the phone if it went bad and they had to send me a new one. I asked her if my phone doesn't go bad in the first year do I get the $18 refunded? She said no. I told them I that it didn't make sense to me and that I didn't want to pay it. After being transfered to a supervisor they put a credit on my account.

[NorrisCell]

The upgrade fee has been around almost two years now, minus a brief promo period where they didn't do it for a couple months. Why have an upgrade fee? Ask AT&T and Verizon. They did it first, we were just forced to follow suit. I can say that $18 is less than the other charge, but it's still there. To be honest, there is no explanation I've ever heard for it that made sense. They do it because everyone does, and everyone gets away with it. We held off on it for as long as possible, but when other carriers add several million dollars in revenue, we have to take notice.

Going to a store wouldn't help, as mentioned above. The fee populates automatically during the upgrade. Sometimes people think that going to a 3rd party store for an upgrade saves that fee. Unfortunately it just gets added to your bill and the sales rep usually doesn't tell you about it in that case. Corporate stores charge it at the time of purchase.

It has nothing to do with being under contract still, as customers out of contract will be charged it as well.

As I always see, what good is a fee if all you have to do to get it waived is call? If care is willing to credit it, great. If not, pay it and be done with it.

[AaronWasHere]

Bah, I am torn ... Curve 8900 or Bold 9700? Looking back and forth at the phones, they seem quite similiar, both have their strengths... Feedback anyone? Decisions, Decisions

[fatfat935]

Originally Posted by renesandy

The $18 upgrade fee has been around for awhile now. Basically you're gonna have to pay $18 to upgrade, the fee is self-explanatory.
Most, if not all, carriers do this now.
I'm picking up my 9700 tomorrow at the store, and calculated it to be $183w/upgrade fee and taxes.
Also, when you logged in to upgrade, did the $149.99 come up as the price? Mine still lists $199.99

You have to click that "Wish List Approved" picture and it will give you the $149.99 pricing.

[AaronWasHere]

Originally Posted by fatfat935

You have to click that "Wish List Approved" picture and it will give you the $149.99 pricing.

Should also be able to go in the general ordering of the phone during this promo and see it

[EmployeeForG1]

The upgrade fee is basically an $18 raise on the price of the phone. Like the delivery charge. It increases the price of the phone WITHOUT increasing the price of the phone. Think about for a sec theres no typo here....

[K Bear]

Originally Posted by AaronWasHere

Bah, I am torn ... Curve 8900 or Bold 9700? Looking back and forth at the phones, they seem quite similiar, both have their strengths... Feedback anyone? Decisions, Decisions

I'd go with the 9700. Better processor, 3G capability, trackpad. Need I say more.

I have the same decision. Pay for a new 8900 or $60 more for a new 9700. Once I have the money, I'm going with the 9700. I don't live in a 3G area, but I do frequent area that do have 3G. Anything will be better than my Pearl.

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Now playing: Bon Jovi - Who Says You Can't Go Home (feat. Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland)
via FoxyTunes

[inkwell]

Originally Posted by AaronWasHere

Bah, I am torn ... Curve 8900 or Bold 9700? Looking back and forth at the phones, they seem quite similiar, both have their strengths... Feedback anyone? Decisions, Decisions

9700 hands down