Why charge a upgrade fee?

They get paid by the hour.  If no one comes in they get paid.  If no one goes into the stores what’s the point of them working?  What’s the point of paying rent?  What’s the point of paying electric.  There’s a lot more involved selling a single phone?  May not seem like much but they are providing a service which you could do yourself as you pointed out yourself.  So either pay for the service or do it yourself.  

Before you say anything.  I don’t work for T-Mobile and I would say the SAME thing for ALL SERVICE based jobs.

A lot of people complain about Apple device being expensive, but Samsung(I used to work here) does not have brick and mortar stores, inventory, and employees worldwide Apple does.  People don’t think costs like this doesn’t get factor into products and services?

Verizon does the same and pretty sure AT&T does the same.

A lot of times they are required to transfer things, and at times explain the features not just swapping sims.  A lot of people assume that’s what everyone does, but working for places where I can watch lower employees for long periods of time you’d be surprised how much they do especially for the much older crowd.

It’s like that delivery fee which delivery drives for pizza places.  Those drivers are seriously underpaid, and they don’t even get the delivery fee.

If they have to transfer the contents of one device to another.  Sure.  I am fine with a fee for that because that is something I would personally do myself.  If someone needs an in-store tutorial on their new device.  I also think that is fair to charge a fee for.  If I walk into a store to pick up a phone that doesn’t even leave the box until I get it home.  I don’t think there should be a fee for that.  If it’s too much to expect a person to take a minute of their time to get it, scan it, and check me out.  Put it in a vending machine inside of the store and I will use that.  

That would be great, but just look at the mess Samsung created trying to sell the s23 preorders.  Most of us couldn’t even place an order through their site.  After 4 days, I gave up and ordered mine through T-Force and still got it on the 10th, a full 10 days before the device officially launched.  :D  

T-Mobile ‘used to be’ the uncarrier, claiming no fees or bundled services.  They still use ‘uncarrier’, and still do sell unbundled, but promote their bundled services.  Similarly, stores are basically an expense for sales.  If you don’t have Internet, how can you sign up for service ?  Telesales ?  Oddly enough, I can purchase through Apple/Samsung directly and save myself … $35.  Stores are an expense, and I can understand sales attempting to recoup through these fees.  I used to purchase locally at a store, but then they wanted fees.   Ok .. I’ll purchase over the phone … fees.  Ok I’ll purchase online … fees.

Ok - I’ll bypass and go through Samsung/Apple.  Samsung gives better deals than T-Mobile does on exchanges as well ($325 vs $125 for the same device!)

The current phones I have are from ATT and I was not able to get to a local store to get them covered by insurance. I am looking at about 400 dollars with the taxes on 4 phones plus the 35 00 per phone fee. Which is ridiculous of you ask me. I understand making money, but they can do something about the fee. They charge the same fee to set up the account 

There is a fee for a new SIM card unless it is replaced by Tech Support as a possible cause of network connectivity issues.  Have you made sure that the APN Settings and MMS settings are correct on your BYO Devices? 

https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/not-sold-by-t-mobile/byod-t-mobile-data-and-apn-settings#:~:text=In%20Settings%2C%20look%20under%20Wireless%20%26%20Networks%20or,update%20the%20following%20settings%20for%20the%20Data%20APN.

I’ve been a mobile customer for well over 20 years, AT&T for a couple of years, then Verizon for most of the time and just recently moved over to T-Mobile.  I have never paid an “activation” fee for a phone.  What a crock.  I say waive that fee or I will go to another carrier, and they say okay.  Maybe it’s because i have good credit and the carriers want those customer to stay or come on board new, but they never say no or even argue with me, they just waive it.  Since I like free budget phones as well, I can usually wrangle one free every 3 years as well.   I do pay tax on the phone of course, and I have to stay with the plan for 24 months, as they usually credit me each month for the cost of the phone.  You have to be willing to change carriers though.  That’s how I landed here, Verizon was starting to charge me more, trying to get me out of my grandfathered plan and move to a bigger plan.  I said no and they said sorry, so I joined up here.  I get far more in data, perks, all at a $20.00 month price reduction.  I’ve read Verizon lost all most 130,000 customers last quarter.  They really need to rethink their business model and start to get competitive again.  Right now, they are the most expensive and seem to give you the least for your mobile plan dollar.  I also read they are laying off 6000 customer service reps here in America and sending those jobs overseas.  That won’t make Verizon customers happy.  Sign of the times I guess, gotta pad the bottom line for the share holders.  I’m happy here at T-Mobile and switching from Verizon was painless for me, thanks to the brilliant sales lady in the store I went to.  I didn’t want to try and port the number myself.  She got it all done in about 15 minutes.

Your buying a new phone , they want to charge you an upgrade fee .I can take out my own SIM card , is there a charge for a down grade .Me: Hello I want to purchase the IPhone 14 pro . TMobile: sure $1300 please plus $35 to up grade  Me: I’ll keep my IPhone 13pro 

This is getting more ‘fees’ as a revenue stream for basic service.  Kind of similar to ATM fees or pay extra with debit/credit. 

I went to Samsung to get my S23 (replace S21).  Not only did it cost less, there was no fee, and I got a better deal on exchange.