Note

October 17, 2026

1 min read

Good Luck With That, AT&T

By Cristiano Pierry

A $35 connection fee, an invitation to preorder, and a phone that may arrive in January. Good luck with that, AT&T.

personaluser-experiencehumor

AT&T charges a $35 fee to connect a new phone.

I already pay them every month for the connection. What does the extra $35 do? Does someone personally introduce the new phone to the cell tower? Is there a small ceremony?

Then they send me a text announcing that I’m “eligible to add a new wireless line” and preorder the iPhone Duo.

Congratulations to me. I qualify for another monthly bill.

“Visit an AT&T store today,” they suggest. Meanwhile, the new-order delivery estimate is January. I’m ready to buy a phone, and they’re inviting me to begin a relationship with a shipping estimate.

Good luck with that.

And when I try to order the Duo from Apple, I can’t get through without selecting a carrier. I don’t need a carrier. I just want the phone. We can discuss its social life with the cell tower after it arrives.

We’ve reached the point where a phone can fold in half, but buying one still involves wireless plans, trade-in conditions, bill credits, and a separate charge for becoming a customer with a newer device.

For $35, I would at least like to attend the ceremony.

This writing reflects my personal perspectives on product management, AI, and content discovery. It does not represent the official position of my employer or any affiliated organization.