Has U.S. Mobile Business Reached Saturation?

The seven largest U.S. mobile providers, representing more than 95 percent of the market, lost a combined 52,000 subscribers from contract-based plans in the January 2012 to March 2012 period, according to a tally by the Associated Press. The companies have a combined 220 million devices on such plans, accounting for about two-thirds of the total number of devices, according to the Associated Press. 


In a sense, that isn't a surprise. Mobile service providers now bank on mobile data plans to drive growth. But many mobile subscribers also are choosing more-affordable no-contract and prepaid plans.


In the first quarter, some two million consumers bought no-contract servivce. That figure, however, is down from more than five million in the same quarter a year ago.