Joining Rivals, Verizon Will Now Charge You a Fee for Upgrading Your Phone

The last remaining holdout against handset upgrade fees has finally given in.

This morning Verizon Wireless said that beginning April 22 it will charge subscribers an extra $30 to upgrade to a new phone. The fee will apply to existing customers buying new hardware along with a two-year contract, and Verizon says proceeds from it will be used to “continue to provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect, which includes Wireless Workshops, online educational tools, and consultations with experts who provide advice and guidance on devices that are more sophisticated than ever.”

What? You’ve never attended a Verizon Wireless Workshop? Or used one of its online educational tools? Well, you’re going to have to pay up anyway. To be fair, Verizon isn’t the only carrier to charge an upgrade fee, and its charge is lower than some of its rivals. Sprint and AT&T both charge $36.

And to think, they used to give you a loyalty discount for upgrading …