Verizon raises in-store activation and upgrade fees, reduces those made online

If you're thinking to switch to Verizon or upgrade, you might want to do it fast because the carrier plans to increase activation and upgrade fees starting Thursday. But not everything is gloomy for Verizon customers, as these fees will be reduced under some circumstances.

A Verizon spokesperson said the carrier will reduce upgrade and activation fees from $30 to $20 for purchases made online or through My Verizon app, CNET reports. However, anyone who chooses to upgrade in store or over the phone will have to pay $40.

An official announcement has yet to be released, but considering the source of the information, this is as reliable as it gets. Still, it will be interesting to find out what pushed Verizon to take such an unpopular decision.

The only thing that comes to mind is that Verizon may want to encourage customers to buy online without having to interact with any human support provided by the carrier. If that's the case, the method it chose seems completely unfair consumer-wise.