AT&T To Increase Handset Upgrade Fee To $36 From $18, Citing Increased Costs For New Handsets, Starting February 12

In a move that is likely to upset every single AT&T customer to some degree, the nation's number two carrier has decided that its current upgrade fee (a cost tacked on whenever a current customer renews their contract and gets a new phone) isn't covering the rising cost of subsidized smartphones. The current upgrade fee is $18, and will soon be doubled to $36, matching the current fee at Sprint.

At T-Mobile, the current cost is $18. At Verizon, there isn't one. Certainly puts things into perspective. Of course, the one thing to remember about fees is that a little sweet talking to a customer representative can often help you avoid them in the first place. No carrier likes losing a customer. AT&T had this to say:

The new pricing will take effect on February 12, and will apparently apply to all existing customers, not just new ones.