According to a leaked screenshot sent to us by one of our loyal readers, Verizon has a number of new $20 upgrade fees that will take effect starting on April 4th. Among the changes, Big Red will now charge $20 when you upgrade your phone by purchasing a new one from Verizon at the full retail price. Currently, there is no fee tacked on to a phone that is fully paid for through the carrier.
The screenshot also shows that Verizon plans on adding a $20 upgrade fee for phones purchased using Verizon’s Device Payment Plan. This is the monthly installment plan that allows you to pay over 24 months for a new phone. If you use that plan and decide to upgrade to a new phone after 12 months, you will now be socked with another $20 fee. And you’ll be slipping Verizon a $20 if you upgrade your Verizon branded Apple iPhone using Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program.
According to the screenshot (which seems to have been taken from a document meant for Verizon staff), the current $40 upgrade fee still applies to those on a two-year contract, and those who bring their own devices won’t be charged a fee. Considering that our source tells us that these new fees will start on April 4th, we should be receiving some confirmation from Verizon very soon.
If you’re a Verizon customer and are planning to upgrade to a new handset, you might want to do it before April 4th when these new fees are expected to start.
Thanks for the tip!