Survey finds satisfaction in unlimited offerings: J.D. Power: 25% of respondents use bottomless services

When it comes to wireless plans, it’s all about the buffet, J.D. Power and Associates concluded in its semi-annual survey of wireless customers’ level of satisfaction with contracts.
The firm, which recently gave a nod to regional carriers in its latest survey on call quality, found that customers who subscribe to plans that offer enhancements such as in-network calling and unlimited messaging are typically more satisfied and exhibit greater loyalty than subscribers without unlimited plans.
More than 25% of the 22,052 wireless customers surveyed for the study have purchased plan upgrades that include unlimited messaging, data and video services, the report concluded.
“Considering that these plans seem to boost overall satisfaction as well as lower switching intent, it’s not unexpected that more carriers have expanded their unlimited service plan options to include flat-rate pricing,” wrote Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at the firm. “Wireless customers who are high-volume users typically benefit the most, as they are more likely to exceed their monthly plan minutes, and unlimited plans solve that issue.”
Indeed, wireless carriers benefit as well; the typical customer who upgrades to unlimited messaging tends to spend almost twice as much on their monthly service, or an average of $92 to the $57 traditional calling-plan customers spend on average, the firm reported.
The study, J.D. Power and Associates 2008 U.S. Wireless Contract Regional Customer Satisfaction Index Study Volume 1, measured customer satisfaction based on six factors: call quality, brand image, cost of service, service plan options, billing and customer service.
Verizon Wireless ranked highest in four of the six regions, the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, North Central and West. The second-largest carrier based on the latest subscriber numbers performed particularly well in call quality and brand image in each of the regions where it came out on top.
T-Mobile USA Inc. ranked highest in the Southwest while Alltel Corp. took the top spot in the Southeast.
Verizon ranked highest in the Northeast for a second consecutive time, and in the Mid-Atlantic and North Central regions for a sixth consecutive time. Alltel took tops in the Southeast for a third consecutive time while T-Mobile dominated the Southwest for the seventh time in a row.