Verizon CFO says family data plans coming mid-year

During an investors conference today, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo revealed that the carrier plans to launch shared family data plans by mid-year. There had been plenty of speculation about the new data offering, which Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam confirmed would start sometime in 2012. But the time frame has always remained vague and even with Shammo's affirmation, he qualifies it still as a "long-term migration" that won't happen instantly on launch.

According to Shammo, Verizon had been studying the issue for about a year to determine if shared data plans would be beneficial for both the company and its customers. He did not reveal any pricing details, saying that it is a a very complex equation, which apparently they're still working on to ensure a mutually satisfying pricing structure for both its business and for customers.

He also emphasized that the day the new data plans are launched won't mean that everyone gets to switch to this new account billing method. The process will be a long one as the company sees it as a long-term migration that may play into Verizon's 4G strategy. However, Shammo seems to guarantee that something along the lines will definitely launch mid-year.

[via Fierce Wireless]