Verizon Hidden Fees (Fios, Wireless, TV, & Taxes)

I’ve spent many hours researching Verizon’s hidden charges. I compiled FAQs, complaints from forums, and other pages into this guide.

While Verizon doesn’t have the most ‘hidden fees,’ they do have plenty of charges that you’ll want an eye out for. And this piece will help you do so.

Keep reading to understand everything on your Verizon bill.

Verizon Hidden Charges

To help you find every possible hidden charge Verizon has, I’ll cover these areas:

• Home Internet
• Cellular plans
• Home Phone
• Fiber optic television
• Equipment
• Fees for shipping accessories and equipment
• Damaged and unreturned equipment
• Additional services
• Late payments
• Miscellaneous fees

The following sections will cover each fee in depth. Keep in mind that none of these costs include local or state taxes.

Verizon can change these fees at a moment’s notice. And we may not catch the changes in time. So check their website before ordering your service.

Verizon Internet Hidden Fees

Here are common fees you’ll find when dealing with one of Verizon’s many Home Internet services:

Fee Type	Amount
Activation Fee	$99 (one-time)
Verizon LTE Home Equipment Rental	$10/mo. or $240 (one-time)
Whole Home Wi-Fi	$20/mo.
Fios Router	$15/mo. or $299 (one-time)
Fios Quantum Gateway Router	$12/mo. or $199 (one-time)
Verizon Router	$18/mo. or $399 (one-time)

You can waive the $99 activation fee by ordering your Verizon plan online.

There’s no escaping the LTE Home equipment rental fee. Because it uses Verizon’s 4G network to give you internet.

Their 5G Home Internet plan includes the gateway (modem/router combo) in its monthly fee [1].

You can’t use your own router with these plans to cancel out the equipment fee. But you could use a third-party router in conjunction with your LTE or 5G router. For a better connection.

And Fios gives you some flexibility. You can get your own router, but you’ll have to deal with connecting it to your Fios ONT. I cover how to do so in a separate guide.

Whole Home Wi-Fi is a fancy term for selling you a subscription service for Wi-Fi extenders, their Fios Router, and Wi-Fi health checks.

It’s optional and not required. And it appears only Gigabit Connect customers can use this feature.

Verizon Unlimited Hidden Fees

Fees you’ll find for Verizon’s mobile services include:

Fee Type	Amount
Activation Fee	$35 per line
Early Termination Fee	$175–$350
Administrative and Telco Recovery Charge	$3.30 per voice line $0.06 per data-only line
Regulatory Charge	$0.16 per voice line $0.02 per data-only line
Federal Universal Service Charge	33% of international and interstate telecom charges
Detailed Billing	$1.99/mo. per line
TravelPass	$10/day per line
Use Voice Service on Data-only Plan	$0.25/minute
Access Recovery Charge (ARC)	Varies

You’ll have to pay a one-time $35 fee whenever upgrading your phone plan or adding another line. There’s no way to bypass this fee. Unless Verizon has a promotion.

Verizon Unlimited Wireless plans need a two-year- or month-to-month contract. Canceling a 2-year agreement early will result in a $175 fee. The $350 fee comes from canceling your contract and having an ‘advanced’ device.

There’s no way around the Recovery, Regulatory, and Service charge. Nor is there a way to avoid the ‘Detailed Billing’ fee.

They don’t explain the ‘Detailed Billing’ fee. They only state that each line will pay $1.99 per month [2].

To avoid the ‘Use Voice Service on Data-only Plan’ fee, don’t call people using a data-only Wireless plan.

You’ll also have to pay local and state taxes for each plan. These rates depend on your location.

Verizon won’t charge customers with the Lifeline discount the ARC fee.

Agent Assistance Fee

Verizon charges a $10 Agent Assistance fee to set up a payment arrangement over the phone with their customer service. Or when speaking with a Live Chat team member.

You can avoid this fee by setting up your plan’s payment arrangement through these methods:

• My Verizon online account
• My Verizon mobile app
• Verizon’s automated phone system: dial #768 on your phone to use this service
• Bill Pay Kiosks at Verizon stores

I’d imagine they charge this fee to free up customer service staff. But it’s still a bit absurd.

Data Overage Surcharge

Upon surpassing the wireless plan’s data allowances, Verizon will charge you $15 per 1 GB of data you use (rounded up).

If you go 1 KB over your allowance, you’ll pay $15. The same goes for using 999 MB.

You can avoid this fee by reducing background task usage (like photo syncing). You’ll need to visit individual settings for your phone’s apps and disable background usage. Or turn off syncing in your phone’s ‘Apps’ menu.

You could also opt for Unlimited data plans if you use a lot of data. Or use public Wi-Fi when you can.

Avoid the latter when possible because of the security risks of this type of Wi-Fi. But if you have a virtual private network (VPN), that can help. Because it’ll lessen the likelihood of a hacker intercepting your network transmissions.

Verizon Home Phone Hidden Fees

Additional costs you’ll find for Verizon’s landline voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services include:

Fee Type	Amount
International Landline Calls	$0.04–$0.91/minute
International Mobile Calls	$0.13–$0.91/minute

Verizon considers mobile calls as ‘Premium’ numbers. That means they’ll charge you more per minute.

If you’re using Verizon’s landline service for residential use, you may want to reconsider using it for calling people internationally. You’ll want to try using Wi-Fi calling or video conferencing apps to save money on these fees.

Like WhatsApp or Skype.

Verizon Fios TV Fees

Here are common Fios TV fees:

Fee Type	Amount
Digital Adapter	$10/mo.
CableCARD	$10/mo.
DVR Service	$12/mo.
Multi-room DVR Service (Enhanced)	$20/mo.
Multi-room DVR Service (Premium)	$30/mo.
Seasonal Service Suspension	$50
Service Charge	Up to $100
Tech Visit Charge	Up to $100 (additional charges may apply)
Outlet Installation or Relocation	$60
Upgrade or Add Set-top Box	$60
TV Equipment Installation	Up to $100
TV Equipment Upgrade	$50
Fios TV Setup (Activating Existing Outlets)	$99
Fios TV Setup (Activating New Outlets)	$160

Many of these fees you can’t avoid (like the CableCARD).

You can avoid activation fees on existing outlets by ordering your plan online. But there’s nothing you can do about adding new fiber TV connections.

The following sections will cover additional fees you’ll see on your Fios TV plans. And some optional add-ons.

Broadcast TV Fee

Verizon Fios television customers need to pay a broadcast TV fee of up to $6.49 monthly if they have one of the following plans:

• Fios TV Mundo
• Fios TV Mundo Plus
• Fios TV Local
• Fios TV Extreme HD
• Fios TV Ultimate HD
• Fios TV Preferred HD
• Custom TV: Home & Family, News & Variety, or Sports & News

The broadcast TV surcharge makes it so Verizon can broadcast certain networks (like ABC).

You can only avoid this fee by canceling the above-mentioned TV plans.

Video Franchise Fee

Some cities will require television service providers to pay a surcharge to offer TV services in their city. Verizon will pass this fee onto you.

The amount you’ll pay for this fee depends on your city.

Regional Sports Fee

You’ll have to pay up to $8.99 monthly for Verizon’s regional sports fee. You’ll need to pay this fee if you use these plans:

• Fios TV Mundo
• Fios TV Mundo Plus
• Fios TV Extreme HD
• Fios TV Ultimate HD
• Fios TV Preferred HD
• Custom TV: Home & Family, News & Variety, or Sports & News

Verizon applies this non-government mandated fee because your plan contains sports networks. You can only dodge this fee by not subscribing to the plans I mentioned a second ago.

International TV Channels

You’ll need to pay an additional monthly fee for channels in various languages. Here’s a list of your options:

Region	Number of Channels	Price
Korean	4	$25/mo.
Korean Plus	5	$30/mo.
Cantonese	NA	$35/mo.
Mandarin	6	$14/mo.
Hindi	2	$20/mo.
Hindi Plus	6	$34/mo.
Filipino	2	$24.99/mo.
Italian	2	$15/mo.
Russian	1	$15/mo.
Russian Plus	2	$30/mo.
French	NA	$11.99/mo.
Portuguese	2	$15/mo.
Portuguese Plus	3	$25/mo.

They offer additional international channels such as:

• Vietnamese
• Japanese
• Greek
• Caribbean
• Brazilian
• More

They don’t list the prices for these international networks on their website. You have to apparently create an account to see these prices. They do list some channels you’ll find under each language [3].

And there aren’t many. For instance, I found 1 Vietnamese channel (SBTN Saigon Broadcasting Television Network Channel).

Spanish Packages

Verizon Fios TV charges $10 a month for the first Spanish package you get. You’ll need to pay an extra $5 monthly per Spanish package you add to your plan.

Here are the various Spanish regions you’ll find:

Region	Number of Channels
Mexico	53
Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Central America	50
Peru, Columbia, Ecuador, and more	50
Spain	49

Here’s an example.

Let’s say you get the channels for Mexico; that’s $10 a month. If you want to add Spain and Dominican Republic support, add $10 monthly.

$5 per month for each additional channel.

Premium Channels

Verizon Fios TV will charge you the following rates for Premium channels:

• 1 channel for $15 a month
• 2 for $25 a month
• 3 for $30 monthly
• All 5 for $40 a month

It doesn’t matter how you mix the channels.

If you only want HBO, then you would pay the same price as you would if you only wanted SHOWTIME.

And here are the channels you can choose from:

1. STARZ: you could rewatch Spider-Man: No Way Home
2. HBO: has House of the Dragon
3. SHOWTIME: it has Dexter
4. CINEMAX: good for movies like Goodfellas
5. EPIX: has shows like Billy the Kid

They don’t give you a discount if you get 4 premium channels.

Sports TV Packages

Verizon’s television sports packages and their fees include:

Pass Name	* Price	Season
NHL Center Ice	$49.99	Half season
NBA League Pass	$28.99	Half season
MBA Extra Innings	$139.99	Regular season
MLB Premium	$139.99	Regular season
MLS Direct Kick	NA	NA
Fox Soccer Plus	$14.99/mo.	NA

* Prices can change at any time because of various scenarios. Like pandemics. And seasons have set durations. So prices and supported packages can change whenever.

Before getting a Verizon Fios plan based on this table, first check out Verizon.com/sports/tv-packages to see their current packages.

Verizon Equipment Fees

Verizon has various equipment fees that include:

Charge	Price
Fios TV Voice Remote	$24.99
Replacement Fios Remote	$15
Suspended Fios TV Service for Non-payment	$50
Set-top Box	$12/mo. per box (first 2 boxes)
Set-top Box	$6/mo. per box (3–5 boxes)
Fios Router	$15/mo. or $299 (one-time)
Fios Quantum Gateway Router	$12/mo. or $199 (one-time)
Verizon Router	$18/mo. or $399 (one-time)

You can opt out of paying for Verizon routers by getting a third-party router.

There’s nothing you can do about Set-top Box rentals if you want Fios TV. Unless you opt out of their fiber television services entirely.

Verizon Shipping Fees

You’ll see these fees when shipping Verizon devices or equipment:

Shipping Method	Cost	Order By
2-Day Shipping	Free	8 PM (ET)
Standard Overnight	$12.99	10 PM (ET)
Priority Overnight	$14.99	10 PM (ET)
2-Day (For Accessories)	Free (orders $49 and over)	8 PM (ET)
3-5 Days (For Accessories)	Free	4 PM (local time)
2-Day (For Accessories)	$6.99 (orders under $49)	4 PM (local time)
In-Store Pickup	Free	NA

You’ll need to pay an extra $2 per device or accessory Verizon adds to your order.

Unreturned Equipment Fee

Verizon charges a one-time fee between $70 and $375 for damaged or unreturned equipment. Here are what these fees look like:

Charge	Price
Fios TV One	$375
Video media server	$375
SD DVR	$330
HD DVR	$260
HD	$190
Fios Service Unit	$210
Fios TV One Mini	$115
SD	$160
Video Media Client	$115
Digital Adapter	$90
CableCARD	$70
Verizon Quantum Gateway Router	$100
Verizon Router	$200
Fios Router	$175

Take care of equipment when renting it from Verizon. It’s their property, so they’ll charge you if you damage it.

When it comes to unreturned equipment, you may run into issues out of your control. Like reckless postal staff.

Keep your equipment return receipts. That way, if Verizon charges you, you can complain and prove that you returned their equipment.

Then they should reimburse the fee. If not, escalate the matter to the customer retention department. Or management (if possible).

Fees for Additional Services

You will find fees for freebies Verizon gives you once their subscriptions expire. Here are some examples:

Service	Promotional Duration	Price After Promo.
Disney+	6 months	$7.99/mo.
discovery+ (Add-Free)	6 months	$6.99/mo.
SimpliSafe	1 month	$17.99/$27.99/mo.
Apple Music	6 months	$9.99/mo.
Google Play Pass	6 months	$4.99/mo.
Apple Arcade	6 months	$4.99/mo.

Here’s an example. If you forget to cancel Disney+ and it expires, Disney’s streaming service will charge you the $7.99 monthly fee through your Verizon account.

You can cancel these subscriptions at any time. So if you don’t intend on using these services after their promotional duration, ensure you check the “next billing date.” Then cancel a day or two before that date.

I suggest doing it earlier in case errors happen during the cancelation process. And once you cancel, double-check your work. Make sure that it doesn’t say they’ll charge you.

There’s also YouTube TV. Verizon lists it as a plan. But it doesn’t have a different cost than getting it through YouTube.

It’s $64.99 a month for 85+ channels.

Late Payment Fee

Verizon charges $9 or 1.5% per month of your unpaid balance as a late fee. The option they choose depends on the greater number.

Here’s an example. You have an overdue balance of $30. Verizon will charge you $9. Since it’s greater than 1.5% of 30 [4].

They give you a 7-day grace period after your balance is due to pay your overdue bill. Before they interrupt your service. Though during this period, they’ll still charge you the late fee.

To avoid this fee, turn on Auto Pay and ensure you have enough money in your bank.

Taxes and Other Fees

Other random fees you’ll see on your Verizon bill include:

Fee Type	Amount
Gross Receipts Surcharge	Varies
Local Business License Surcharge	Varies
Communication Sales Tax	Varies
State 911 Fee	Varies

Businesses must pay the Gross Receipts surcharge, but they don’t need to pass it on to customers. Verizon allegedly does this to offset their costs and make more money.

The business license surcharge applies to businesses with gross revenue exceeding a set threshold (unspecified). Again, they don’t need to charge this fee.

The communication sales tax combines your state and local tax. Here’s an example. Washington state’s local tax is 6.5% and Seattle’s (in 2022) is 2.35% [5].

You’d need to fork over about 10% of your Verizon bill in total communication sales tax.

The 911 fee refers to a surcharge imposed on communications companies by the state to contribute to 911 services. These fees will vary by region.

FAQ: Verizon Hidden Fees

Read through these commonly asked questions about Verizon’s additional fees.

Wrapping up

Verizon seems upfront with its hidden costs (for the most part). So when looking at your future bills, you’ll know what you’re paying for.

Verizon doesn’t provide explanations for some fees. And you can’t avoid some of these costs. But they don’t seem as predatory as other internet service providers.

Learn more about Verizon’s various services.