RE:New sharesTDA just has to change the CUSIP number, that's all. No charges for that on their end, but yes they do drag their feet.
GCM (now ARIS) has always been subject to their $6.95 fee per trade since they trade on the OTC.
Why do we pay fees to trade OTC? Their rationale is because the cost to trade for free on the Big Board has to be subsidized somehow. The payment for order flow can't subsidize the entire cost I suppose.