Breaking News: Upgrade/Renewal Fee Starting June 29!

[jameskris]

USCC is not a non-profit. They have to make money somehow. So they added an upgrade fee. Big deal! If they can't make money then we have no more US Cellular. How else are they going to compete product wise and network wise if they can't gain the capital to expand and grow? For those that say "this is the last straw, I'm leaving" then by all means go. No one is forcing you to stay with USCC. If you believe another carrier has better options for your financial situation then maybe it is best to re-evaluate and move on. Just my two cents.

[ilvla2]

Wow, somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed These are just carriers, no need to get all intense about it.

[tritium man]

I know plenty of people on Air fire mobile in my area and they love it. 160 bucks for unlimited everything is sounding a whole lot better since my last contract is up in august.

Air fire mobile Is owned by TDS, who also owns USCC

[WI4Fan]

Air fire mobile Is owned by TDS, who also owns USCC

I am not sure where you are getting this information but AirFire Mobile is owned by Airadigm Communications, Inc. based out of Little Chute, WI. They are not owned by TDS.

[WI4Fan]

I am not sure where you are getting this information but AirFire Mobile is owned by Airadigm Communications, Inc. based out of Little Chute, WI. They are not owned by TDS.

Sorry, but I have to correct myself. TDS did just take over controling interest in Airadigm Communications back in July 0f 2011. I didn't realize that! I know some of the family of the original owners and didn't realize they had gotten acquired.

My apologize!

[tritium man]

Sorry, but I have to correct myself. TDS did just take over controling interest in Airadigm Communications back in July 0f 2011. I didn't realize that! I know some of the family of the original owners and didn't realize they had gotten acquired.

My apologize!

No worries my friend.

[timeofday]

Sorry, but I have to correct myself. TDS did just take over controling interest in Airadigm Communications back in July 0f 2011. I didn't realize that! I know some of the family of the original owners and didn't realize they had gotten acquired.

My apologize!

I love people who think they know it all...

[n1philli]

Could this have anything to do with them getting the iPhone? Just out of curiosity, it seems VZW and other carriers started this same thing around the time they were getting the iPhone. At the same time, I'm sure no employee, but a select few know or will know, if and when they get the iPhone.

[droobie]

Could this have anything to do with them getting the iPhone? Just out of curiosity, it seems VZW and other carriers started this same thing around the time they were getting the iPhone. At the same time, I'm sure no employee, but a select few know or will know, if and when they get the iPhone.

It's always possible. Sprint changed a lot of things on their service shortly before getting it. I think it's unfortunate to bend over backwards for a single model/brand of phone. I view it as penalizing all of the customers for a select group.

--Droo, @Network

[ooompa]

USCC is not a non-profit. They have to make money somehow. So they added an upgrade fee. Big deal! If they can't make money then we have no more US Cellular. How else are they going to compete product wise and network wise if they can't gain the capital to expand and grow? For those that say "this is the last straw, I'm leaving" then by all means go. No one is forcing you to stay with USCC. If you believe another carrier has better options for your financial situation then maybe it is best to re-evaluate and move on. Just my two cents.

It is a big deal for some people, especially with family plans. Everyone makes their own decisions but what's wrong with loudly thinking it out/sharing thoughts with others on this forum?

I started looking for alternatives to USCC even before the upgrade fee news. Now it's just another reason to do it. Other reasons being ridiculous belief plans, getting less and less value for your money pretty much every year, old phones (SG3 being huge exception to this rule and pretty much a the only thing holding me with USCC right now), and now these horrid fees.

[jameskris]

Wow, somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed These are just carriers, no need to get all intense about it.

Maybe I should drink coffee before I respond next time. LOL

[swampthing]

Could this have anything to do with them getting the iPhone? Just out of curiosity, it seems VZW and other carriers started this same thing around the time they were getting the iPhone. At the same time, I'm sure no employee, but a select few know or will know, if and when they get the iPhone.

Doubtful. What is has to do with is the fact that us cellular has consistently lost more customers than it's gained for a quite a few years now, at least 4-5 going on the information publicly available from their financial statements. So when you lose customers what do you do? You find ways to make more money off the ones you have. Which again if you look at their financials they have greatly succeeded in doing. Even though their subscriber base is rapidly shrinking their ARPU has gone up quite a bit. The simple fact is that us cellular is in a very very bad position these days and will be lucky to survive much longer. They fired their entire agent support channel, most of them lost their jobs come august and agents will now have to rely on conference calls and emails to get info which makes their jobs harder and harder. The writing has been on the wall for US Cell for quite awhile now, and just now it's getting pretty desperate for them. Its a failing company doing all the wrong things trying to survive.

[cellman2424]

I would assume if we are telling people in the stores if they come back july 1st there will be a 30 dollar renewal fee then it is ok to mention it in this thread. Honestly if someone came in the store today and went home to "think about it" then came back and there was a 30 dollar fee per line that was not mentioned, someone might get punched.

[n1philli]

Doubtful. What is has to do with is the fact that us cellular has consistently lost more customers than it's gained for a quite a few years now, at least 4-5 going on the information publicly available from their financial statements. So when you lose customers what do you do? You find ways to make more money off the ones you have. Which again if you look at their financials they have greatly succeeded in doing. Even though their subscriber base is rapidly shrinking their ARPU has gone up quite a bit. The simple fact is that us cellular is in a very very bad position these days and will be lucky to survive much longer. They fired their entire agent support channel, most of them lost their jobs come august and agents will now have to rely on conference calls and emails to get info which makes their jobs harder and harder. The writing has been on the wall for US Cell for quite awhile now, and just now it's getting pretty desperate for them. Its a failing company doing all the wrong things trying to survive.

This makes sense, however, at the same time it doesn't. Why doesn't it? Verizon and everyone else are charging these upgrade and renewal fees as well. One can't base all the speculation around USCC's terrible financial status and the fact they continue to lose customers.

[freibrauer]

Well everyone else already does it... But i don't think uscc can survive by charging the same as the big boys... My guess is the next iphone is coming to USCC. There putting a lot of charges in place to improve their margins when they don't really need to if you look at their finances. Even with customer losses USCC still has very healthy balance sheets. This all appears to be geared to something they need to increase revenue for and the iphone would make sense.

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