US operators Verizon Wireless and US Cellular are investigating the potential of a no-contract model, following T-Mobile USA’s recent move to drop contracts and phone subsidies completely.

Verizon Communications CEO Lowell McAdam said Verizon Wireless could shift to a no-contract model relatively easily and would do so if customers demanded it.

Tier-two operator US Cellular has gone further by offering short-term deals to potential customers with the option to try out its network without committing to a service agreement.

T-Mobile USA chief executive John Legere announced at the end of March that the company would do away with “confusing and misleading contracts” and follow what it calls the “Un-carrier” model. The US number-four operator is taking the new approach to help it regain market share.

For $50 per month, customers get unlimited talk, text and web, along with up to 500MB of “high-speed data,” with no contract lock-in. The monthly tariffs can be paid on a pre-paid or post-paid basis although customers will still need to pay upfront costs for devices.

According to CNET, Verizon’s McAdam said the company will watch the consumer response to T-Mobile’s move and that Verizon Wireless “can react quickly to consumers’ shifting needs”.

According to Engadget, US Cellular’s Network Test-Drive scheme provides free loan devices to potential customers for eight days with 500 minutes, 500 texts and 1GB of data.

The mid-range Motorola Electrify M, Samsung Chrono 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Metrix devices are being offered.

The Network Test-Drive is currently only available in nine markets, including Eureka in California, Klamath Falls, Oregon and Greenville in North Carolina.