Verizon simply is doing what the competition is doing. AT&T charges $36, as does Sprint. T-Mobile is only charging $18.
Unlike the competition, Verizon does NOT charge existing customers an Activation Fee when you go to activate your upgraded phone - so existing customers do get a break there.
I’m with AT&T now. My cell phone sits in a coffee mug, so I have signal. It’s useless outside of the coffee mug; either indoors or outdoors. I live in Utah, and even though 80% of the state’s population lives in a stretch of valley 80 miles long and 15 miles wide - AT&T can’t seem to manage coverage here.
So, while you may be leaving Verizon; I’m going back to them. I guess it all boils down to how good the service is where you live and travel. In my case, for the places I go; I frequently have “No Service” and pathetic data rates.
LOL, coffee just shot out my nose after reading that...