Activation and upgrade fees per line: T-Mobile $35, Verizon $40 or $0 with Verizon Loyalty, AT&T $35
Activating a new line or upgrading a device costs a one-time fee per line at all three national carriers: $35 at T-Mobile (its Device Connection Charge), $40 at Verizon and $35 at AT&T. Verizon's $40 is waived for postpaid customers who opt in to its Verizon Loyalty program, a change Verizon announced on June 16, 2026. On the T-Mobile and AT&T pages we read on October 13, 2026, we found no general waiver.
- T-Mobile
- $35 per line (Device Connection Charge)
- Verizon
- $40 per line; $0 for postpaid customers who opt in to Verizon Loyalty
- AT&T
- $35 per line ($50 for a subsidized device sold with a service commitment)
- When it is charged
- New line or device upgrade, once per line
- Four new lines
- T-Mobile $140; Verizon $160, or $0 with Loyalty; AT&T $140
Figures above were read from T-Mobile's plans and support pages, Verizon's Important Plan Information page and its June 16, 2026 announcement, and AT&T's Mobility Fee Schedule on 2026-10-13. The four-line figures are our arithmetic. See sources.
Activation and upgrade fees side by side
| Carrier | Name on the carrier's page | Amount per line | When it applies | Waiver we found on the carrier's pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | Device Connection Charge | $35 | Activating or upgrading a device; also upgrades completed through Apple | None found |
| Verizon | Activation/Upgrade Fee | $40 | Activating a line or upgrading; none for 5G Home Internet or LTE Home Internet | Postpaid customers who opt in to Verizon Loyalty in the My Verizon app |
| AT&T | Activation/Upgrade Fee | $35 ($50 with a service commitment) | Activating a new line or upgrading a device | None listed in the fee schedule |
T-Mobile: the Device Connection Charge
T-Mobile's support page describes it this way: "The device connection charge is a one-time fee per line for connecting a new device to the network when you activate or upgrade with T-Mobile." The FCC broadband labels on T-Mobile's plans page list "Device connection charge $35/line" as a one-time fee, and T-Mobile's device offers are priced "plus tax & $35 device connection charge".
Buying an iPhone from Apple does not avoid it. T-Mobile's page says: "A device connection charge will appear on your bill for any upgrades completed through Apple (in-store, online, or via the app)." The same page says a new device activated on a voice line with a qualifying plan comes with a one-time 30-day, 20GB domestic hotspot data pass included with the charge.
Verizon: $40, or nothing after opting in to Verizon Loyalty
Verizon's Important Plan Information page still lists the fee: "Activation/Upgrade Fee: $40 per line. No Activation or Upgrade Fee for 5G Home Internet or LTE Home Internet."
On June 16, 2026, Verizon announced that "all postpaid customers on all phone and connected device plans can opt-in" to its Loyalty program and stop paying activation and upgrade fees, which it put at up to $40 per device. The announcement says: "Opt-in in one simple step through the My Verizon app." Verizon's loyalty page says: "Plus no upgrade or activation fees whenever you get a new device!" Customers who have not opted in still see the $40 listed above.
Verizon's return policy adds one more detail: "You will remain responsible for your Activation Fee unless you terminate service within 3 days of activation."
AT&T: $35, or $50 with a service commitment
AT&T's Mobility Fee Schedule lists the Activation/Upgrade Fee as "Charged when you activate a new line of service or upgrade your device." The amount is "$35 (or $50 for subsidized devices sold with a service commitment)", and $20 on secondary lines in Puerto Rico. The schedule lists no waiver.
AT&T PREPAID is listed separately: an Activation Fee of up to $15.00, charged when a new line is activated in AT&T retail locations or through in-home experts.
What it adds up to when you switch with several lines
| New lines | T-Mobile | Verizon | Verizon with Loyalty | AT&T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $35 | $40 | $0 | $35 |
| 2 | $70 | $80 | $0 | $70 |
| 3 | $105 | $120 | $0 | $105 |
| 4 | $140 | $160 | $0 | $140 |
| 5 | $175 | $200 | $0 | $175 |
Other one-time fees each carrier lists
| Fee | T-Mobile | Verizon | AT&T |
|---|---|---|---|
| Returning a device (restocking) | $25 to $75, based on the device's full retail price | $50 plus tax, within 30 days of purchase (Hawaii excluded) | $55 for all devices, within AT&T's 14-day return period |
| Late payment | The greater of 5% of applicable monthly charges or $10, or the maximum allowed by state law | Up to 5% per month on the unpaid balance or a flat $10 per month, whichever is greater, if allowed by state law | Up to $7 per bill cycle |
| Restoring service after suspension for non-payment | $20 per line, for the first three lines | A reactivation fee may apply (amount not stated on the page we read) | Up to $35 |
| Changing your phone number | $15 | Not found | $36 per line |
| Paying with a representative's help | $10 with Customer Care; $5 in a retail store | Not found | $5 through the call center |
| Paper bill reprint | $5 each; one free reprint per calendar year | Not found | $5 per reprint |
| Replacement SIM | Not found | Not found | $5 per SIM |
What we could not confirm
- Whether T-Mobile waives the Device Connection Charge in any current promotion. Every device offer on T-Mobile's promotional offer details page that we read on October 13, 2026 was priced "plus tax & $35 device connection charge" or "& $35 device connection charge". We looked at the plans page, the offers pages and the support page.
- Whether AT&T waives the Activation/Upgrade Fee for online orders or in a promotion. The fee schedule lists the fee without exceptions; we did not check AT&T's individual offer pages.
- T-Mobile's and Verizon's prepaid activation charges. We read only AT&T's prepaid fee list.
- The date Verizon's Loyalty waiver reached every account. Verizon's June 16, 2026 announcement said the rollout "starts today".
- Verizon's fees for changing a phone number, paying with a representative, reprinting a bill or replacing a SIM. They were not on Verizon's Customer Agreement, Return Policy or Important Plan Information pages.
Questions
How much is the activation fee at T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T?
How do I get the Verizon activation fee waived?
Is there a T-Mobile activation fee waiver code?
Do I pay the T-Mobile fee if I buy my iPhone from Apple?
Is the activation fee charged every month?
Sources
- Device Connection Charge description and other T-Mobile fees - T-Mobile Support: Your bill and what's impacting it, read 2026-10-13
- Device connection charge on plan labels - T-Mobile: Cell phone plans, read 2026-10-13
- Device offers priced plus the device connection charge - T-Mobile: Promotional offer details, read 2026-10-13
- Verizon Activation/Upgrade Fee - Verizon Support: Important Plan Information, read 2026-10-13
- Verizon Loyalty and the end of activation and upgrade fees, June 16, 2026 - Verizon News Center, read 2026-10-13
- Verizon Loyalty page - Verizon: Loyalty, read 2026-10-13
- Verizon late fee and reactivation - Verizon Customer Agreement, read 2026-10-13
- Verizon restocking fee and activation fee on cancellation - Verizon Return Policy, read 2026-10-13
- AT&T postpaid and prepaid fees - AT&T Mobility Fee Schedule, read 2026-10-13
Source links are not affiliate links. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
