AT&T has quietly raised its smartphone activation and upgrade fee from $15 to $20, matching a similar fee imposed by Verizon earlier this week.
AT&T updated its on April 6, Droid Life, making the change effective immediately. For people upgrading, the fee applies to both Next plans and paying full device cost.
Still intact is a $45 fee associated with two-year contracts, although like other major U.S. carriers the company is steering customers towards monthly installments or outright device purchases wherever possible.
AT&T has not offered an explanation for the price hike. AT&T and Verizon are however the two largest carriers in the U.S., leaving little competitive cost if they .
As of this week, T-Mobile is now the only major U.S. carrier without an activation or upgrade fee. Sprint can in fact charge up to $36.