Verizon has been teasing its forthcoming shared data plans since late in 2010, with the most recent tidbit of information being that they'd be arriving in mid-2012. Today Verizon CFO Fran Shammo reaffirmed during Verizon's Q1 2012 earnings call that family data offerings are indeed in the pipeline, saying that they're currently slated to be introduced in "mid-summer." No details on pricing or allotments were mentioned.

Another interesting tidbit dropped by Shammo during today's earnings call involves Verizon and Windows Phone. Shammo explained that he feels that it's "important that there is a third ecosystem" brought in to help compete against iOS and Android and that Verizon is "fully supportive of that with Microsoft." He went on to talk about how Verizon helped to build Android's popularity and that it'd like to repeat that with another ecosystem. Interestingly, Shammo said in an interview with Reuters after the earnings call that Verizon is "really looking at the Windows Phone 8.0 platform" and that the carrier is "working with Microsoft on it." 

Finally, Shammo teased that Verizon plans to introduce an $80 prepaid smartphone next week. No details about the handset were mentioned, but Shammo did say that it'll come bundled with a 1GB data plan.

Verizon hasn't exactly offered a bountiful selection of Windows Phone devices so far, having released the HTC Trophy nearly a year ago and nothing since. Although Shammo didn't offer up any information as to when we might see another Windows Phone hit Verizon's shelves, it's encouraging to hear that the carrier is interested in working with the platform again, especially considering that the exec mentioned Windows Phone 8 in his post-call interview. Here's to hoping that whatever the next Windows Phone that Verizon releases is, it doesn't take Big Red another year or more to follow it up with another.

Via Engadget, Seeking Alpha, The Verge, Verizon, Reuters, Fierce Wireless