Verizon

Consumers have begun to move away from two-year contracts and embrace the prepaid smartphone market. In response to this growing user base, Verizon Wireless this week announced that it is increasing its data allowance for prepaid customers. The carrier’s new plans offer unlimited talk and text with 2GB of data, up from 500MB, for $60 a month. There is also a plan with 4GB of data, up from 2GB, for $70 per month. The increased data allowance is available now to current customers, and will be available to new customers beginning June 6th. AT&T also recently announced a new prepaid service in select markets, known as Aio Wireless, which offers unlimited talk and text with 2GB of data for $55 per month, or 7GB of data for $70 per month.

Verizon CFO Fran Shammo revealed on Tuesday that one-third of the carrier’s postpaid customers are now on one of its Share Everything plans, Fierce Wireless reported. The executive said that adoption of the plans has been better than expected and he believes they will continue to contribute to Verizon’s growth. The number is an increase from last month when the company estimated that 30% of its postpaid subscribers were using a shared data plan. Shammo noted that customers on one of Verizon’s Share Everything plans generally use more devices such as a hotspot or tablet, which in turn will use more data and generate more revenue. The executive said that Verizon has no plans to change its current pricing strategy in the wake of T-Mobile’s new UnCarrier intuitive, although he said the carrier may give customers “more options to buy a phone,” likely referring to T-Mobile’s new smartphone installment plans.