Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.
I bought a new iPhone 5S on Tuesday. It cost hundreds of dollars and in some sense is a waste of my money since my existing phone works fine. But I love gadgets, so what the heck. Except excitement about the new phone rapidly turned to outrage as I reached the very last step of the process. In addition to the price Apple was charging me, I had to fork over $30 to Verizon for no reason.
Well, not for no reason. I had to do it because otherwise I couldn?t get the phone.
But the money?s not in exchange for any kind of service. I already pay Verizon?handsomely?for the privilege of connecting my phone to their network. About a year ago, I committed to pay them every month for a two-year span. So as of this September, I can?t buy a phone on another carrier without paying Verizon a healthy cancellation fee, and I can?t buy a Verizon phone without forking over a ?one-time upgrade? fee. Except, of course, there?s nothing one-time about it. They charge the fee any time you want to upgrade. AT&T charges $36!