Allan Nichols, a telecommunications analyst, is quick to admit that he’s a dinosaur when it comes to mobile technology. He only recently purchased smartphones for his family. When he did, he also signed up for a more robust, and more expensive, data plan.
“Verizon was happy to see us upgrade,” said Nichols, senior international telecom analyst for Morningstar, the investment research firm. The more money he hands over each month, the better it is for the company’s bottom line.