One-fourth of first-time smartphone buyers want to change carriers

The price war over data and voice costs among US carriers is having an impact on first-time smartphone buyers. For feature-phone customers planning to buy their first smartphone, 26% said they plan to change to another carrier, according to a survey released by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

Another 44% said they might change carriers. "The quest for cheaper calls and lower data plans is driving the need for change" to another carrier, the analyst firm said.

T-Mobile has been driving much of the low-price pressure in the market, along with no contract plans. Other major carriers have been quick to respond to, or even match those offers.

However, the survey shows that more T-Mobile's feature phone customers, 21%, are planning to change carriers when buying their first smartphone than Verizon customers, 19%. Sprint had the most feature-phone customers seeking to change carriers to get their first smartphone, with 36%, while AT&T was second, with 29%. Verizon also had the highest number of feature phone owners switching to a first smartphone who said they would not switch carriers, with 39%. AT&T ranked second with 30% on that measure, followed by T-Mobile, 29%, and Sprint, 21%.