Verizon Ups Termination Fee to as High as $350, Adds Extra Data Fees, and More   - 869 Views,

Verizon Wireless is upping its early termination fee - particularly for “advanced devices” - to as much as $350.00 for cancelling early in the contract.

While what exactly those “advanced devices” are isn’t spelled out, you can be sure that they will include Verizon’s new entry to the Droidosphere, the Moto DROID, which hits Verizon stores this month.

Not entirely mercenary or heartless, Verizon is said to be lowering the hefty early termination fee by $10.00 for each month that the device remains in service. So after ten months, your early termination fee would be ‘only’ $250.00.

Of course, on the up side, Verizon is piling on so many other fees for these advanced devices, that even at $350.00, it will still be cheaper to terminate early than to keep the device going just to avoid the termination fee.

On top of the cost of your cellular calling plan, in order for your advanced device, such as the DROID, to actually make use of its Internet capabilities, you have to get the additional Verizon data plan. The Verizon data plan costs about $30.00 a month.

Then, if you want to be able to use your advanced device to tether your laptop, you have to get an additional additional data plan, for another $30.00 a month.

The good news is that you’ll have some time to budget, as tethering won’t be available from Verizon until some time after the beginning of the new year.

On the other hand, if you want to access an Exchange Server with your advanced Verizon device, you can do that right now, but it will - wait for it - cost you extra. In fact, it will cost you an additional $45.00 a month.

So, if you have an advanced device with Verizon, and want to tether and access an Exchange server with it, it will cost you an extra $105.00 a month, on top of your regular calling plan.

But hey, if you don’t like it, you can always terminate the contract for only $350.00.

Umm…thanks, but no thanks. I think that I’ll stick with my awesome Android phone from T-Mobile.

Verizon - can you hear me now?