AT&T activation fee goes up by $4

AT&T’s got a number of different ways for consumers to pick up a new smartphone: they can buy a device at full retail price, enroll in one of two AT&T Next installment options or sign a traditional 2-year contract. That last option may be slightly less attractive to folks trying to save as much cash as possible when upgrading, though, as AT&T has upped its activation fee for 2-year contracts.

AT&T has confirmed to FierceWireless that it has raised the activation fee for 2-year contracts from $36 to $40. The change went into effect on June 8. AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel explained that the decision to increase the activation fee was made because “there are administrative and other costs associated with activating or upgrading a device.”

It’s never good to see a carrier bump up its fees, especially when they’re standard like this activation fee. The good news is that because this charge only applies to customers signing a 2-year commitment, the activation fee can be avoided if you sign up for an AT&T Next plan or go with a different buying route.

Via FierceWireless