Verizon's new "device initiation" fee ??? what the heck???? - BlackBerryForums.com : Your Number One BlackBerry Community

JGBerry · 04:04 PM

Okay...So I know Verizon's "device initiation fee" isn't new, but they have now expanded the fee past just charging you to re-activate an older phone in store. i was just in a verizon store helping my friend upgrade his cell phone....

he is one of the secondary lines (non-primary line of his family plan) and he is eligible for an upgrade phone at the promotional 2 yr contract price. obviously he doesn't get the new every two discount, b/c he is not the primary line, but as of April 15, 2008...all non-primary lines wishing to upgrade equipment at the promotional price, even if it has been 2 years, must pay a "$20 device initiation fee." old accounts are not grandfathered, and all accounts are affected. after arguing with the store rep with my friend beside me, she finally said that if you buy the phone online, you do not need to pay the $20. is it just me, or is policy complete BS.....????
it seems that Verizon is trying to cut costs by eliminating in store sales and forcing people to buy online...all just to save the cost of paying the employee the commission of the sale.

i just thought that i would discuss this here, b/c it infuriated me how they now have this policy. it just made my blood boil and i wanted to share my frustration with the Blackberry community in the carrier specific forum. i guess this belongs in the rant/rave forum, oh well. to sum up the new policy....

$20 "device initiation" one-time fee charged for any non-primary family plan line eligible for an upgrade at the promotional price, and wishing to do so. the $20 fee is applied only if you buy the phone in the store. if you buy the equipment online, you will not be charged.

JGBerry · 05-23-2008, 03:55 PM

he ended up just buying it in the store btw...against my advice........

ezrunner · 05-23-2008, 04:37 PM

Wirelessly posted (et tu brute'?)

Most companes charge an upgrade fee. Is this the same thing? Or is the intitiation fee seperate from this

zerog46 · 05-23-2008, 04:45 PM

I just upgraded one of my phones, non primary line and did not get charged to upgrade. Maybe it's area specific.

Dawg · **OS:** 4.5.0.77

They wanted 20 dollars to swap my BB back on to my plan I told them i couldnt do it on line and they waived it. Just tell them you dont have internet access and they will waive it. They do the same thing if you call CS

tel-x.com · 05-23-2008, 05:49 PM

ANY CDMA carrier will rape you for every last cent they can get out of you.

GSM

zerog46 · 05-23-2008, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg

They wanted 20 dollars to swap my BB back on to my plan I told them i couldnt do it on line and they waived it. Just tell them you dont have internet access and they will waive it. They do the same thing if you call CS

I get what your saying here but I have never had to pay that for an upgrade.

Dawg · 08:40 AM

I havent either I always tell them I cant do it online and get it done for free.

Edit: The above statement only applys to BBs. I will call this the Fled edit.

zerog46 · 05-23-2008, 06:00 PM

Ya, most of them will tell you regular cell phones are easy online, but you can never get a BB to switch right.

Fled · 05-23-2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg

They wanted 20 dollars to swap my BB back on to my plan I told them i couldnt do it on line and they waived it. Just tell them you dont have internet access and they will waive it. They do the same thing if you call CS

So you lie? Hmmm... interesting confession from someone who is always chastising others for using pirated software, or not making enough effort to return a found phone, or... well, you get my drift. Selective morals I suppose. ;)

JGBerry · 05-23-2008, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fled

So you lie? Hmmm... interesting confession from someone who is always chastising others for using pirated software, or not making enough effort to return a found phone, or... well, you get my drift. Selective morals I suppose. ;)

i think there's a huge difference between telling the verizon guy he doesn't have internet access at the moment and using pirated software. one is breaking the law...the other is a white lie...

Fled · 05-23-2008, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGBerry

i think there's a huge difference between telling the verizon guy he doesn't have internet access at the moment and using pirated software. one is breaking the law...the other is a white lie...

Really? So it's okay to cheat the local store out of $20, but it's not okay to use a beta version of OS 4.5? Interesting moral standards indeed.

tel-x.com · 05-23-2008, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fled

Really? So it's okay to cheat the local store out of $20, but it's not okay to use a beta version of OS 4.5? Interesting moral standards indeed.

I will and DO Both

-TelX

rachamphetamine · **OS:** 4.2.1.115

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fled

Really? So it's okay to cheat the local store out of $20, but it's not okay to use a beta version of OS 4.5? Interesting moral standards indeed.

People manage to waive activation fees all the time through various methods. There is a difference between not paying a fee that is clearly NOT mandatory if it can be waived when alternative payment methods besides the internet are available and pirating intellectual property worth God only knows what by downloading it for free when you could just as easily wait for the OS to be released instead.

JGBerry · 05-23-2008, 11:34 PM

Wirelessly posted

Quote:

Originally Posted by tel-x.com

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fled

Really? So it's okay to cheat the local store out of $20, but it's not okay to use a beta version of OS 4.5? Interesting moral standards indeed.

I will and DO Both

-TelX

I think what's interesting is that you don't undertand the term negotiating. It is not stealing $20 if you can just hop onto your computer and activate it for free. If I wasn't with my friend, and I was getting the phone for him or something, I would have refused to pay for it and I would threaten to cancel if they didn't waive it. You have to be assertive and realize that nothing is concrete. If verizon is so willing to waive the activation, do you really think they feel it's a legit charge, its clearly in place to try to get an extra $20 out of customers who don't know how to defend themselves. I didn't want to create a scene so I just let him pay it. Dealing with some companies is like dealing with used car salesmen, aka if you have had any experience with La Fitness then you'll know what I'm talking about.

There is a clear difference between that and using illegal software. Just think about it. In one instance you are negotiating and in another you are stealing and using proprietary software.

I'm sorry dude, but I am defending Dawg 100% on this one...

Fled · 05-24-2008, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGBerry

Wirelessly posted

I think what's interesting is that you don't undertand the term negotiating. It is not stealing $20 if you can just hop onto your computer and activate it for free. If I wasn't with my friend, and I was getting the phone for him or something, I would have refused to pay for it and I would threaten to cancel if they didn't waive it. You have to be assertive and realize that nothing is concrete. If verizon is so willing to waive the activation, do you really think they feel it's a legit charge, its clearly in place to try to get an extra $20 out of customers who don't know how to defend themselves. I didn't want to create a scene so I just let him pay it. Dealing with some companies is like dealing with used car salesmen, aka if you have had any experience with La Fitness then you'll know what I'm talking about.

There is a clear difference between that and using illegal software. Just think about it. In one instance you are negotiating and in another you are stealing and using proprietary software.

I'm sorry dude, but I am defending Dawg 100% on this one...

Negotiating is your term for lying? No one is stealing OS 4.5 beta since no fee is charged for BB OS's anyway. Yet dawg is quick to chastise anyone using a beta OS and accuse them of being a software pirate, then turn around and admit to lying to save $20. There's a term for that. ;)

Fled · 05-24-2008, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rachamphetamine

People manage to waive activation fees all the time through various methods. There is a difference between not paying a fee that is clearly NOT mandatory if it can be waived when alternative payment methods besides the internet are available and pirating intellectual property worth God only knows what by downloading it for free when you could just as easily wait for the OS to be released instead.

And I suppose lying is one of those methods?

For the record, I don't condone either action, but always find it interesting when I see such selective moral standards.

JGBerry · 08:38 AM

Wirelessly posted

Are you telling me that when you go to buy a car you pay the MSRP? If you do, your mother clearly failed you as a parent. Telling the car salesman "I can't do that price for yada yada reasons" ... Should you consider yourself a flat out liar? Heck NO

I really don't feel like arguing with you. One thing is negotiating, the other is illegal and against the law. END OF STORY.

Can an admin just end this thread, clearly Fred has taken this too far and wayyy off topic, and it's clear he has a vendetta against Dawg.

Dawg · **OS:** 4.5.0.77

Now wait a minute there fled I want you to try and activate a BB over the internet on Verizon It cant be done thats why I have to call to activate and tell them I cant do it. So dont throw rocks when you dont know what the hell you are talking about.

I always activate dumb phones on the net. But you can not do it on my account with verizon. So I would like a public apology there my high and mighty.

PS I am sure you dont lie on your taxes either.

rachamphetamine · **OS:** 4.2.1.115

Fled, I am sure then that you have never told a lie in your entire life to get out of something. I want to be the first to bow down to your supreme moral character for clearly you are a step above all of us and can therefore judge us fairly as being immoral.

As I stated before, if Verizon was really concerned about getting that $20, they would find a way to make it mandatory instead of waiving it for people who find ways to waive it. Clearly you are more upset over it than they are.

Fled · 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg

Now wait a minute there fled I want you to try and activate a BB over the internet on Verizon It cant be done thats why I have to call to activate and tell them I cant do it. So dont throw rocks when you dont know what the hell you are talking about.

I always activate dumb phones on the net. But you can not do it on my account with verizon. So I would like a public apology there my high and mighty.

PS I am sure you dont lie on your taxes either.

No apology offered. You claimed you told the salesman you didn't have internet access when obviously you did.

And you are absolutely correct. I do not lie on my taxes. Do you?

To quote you from another thread - "You either have morals or you don't."

http://www.blackberryforums.com/beta...version-3.html

Well, do you or don't you have morals?