During the recession, prepaid ruled the industry. As the recovery continues, postpaid appears to be making a comeback. 

According to new research from ShareTracker, 2014 U.S. wireless postpaid net additions trended sharply over prepaid wireless subscriber additions. 

Data from ShareTracker reveals a 156 percent increase in postpaid net adds from 2013 to 2014. The growth rate of postpaid service net adds was notable verses the average declining rate of 35 percent for prepaid service over the same two year period. 

ShareTracker notes that its results encompass subscribers that utilize voice and data devices. Data devices include tablets and mobile hotspots. 

Eric Fogle, president of ShareTracker, said in a statement that results paint a radically different picture than the one we saw in 2013. 

“The strong upward trend of postpaid subscriber net adds is a reverse from the previous year’s trends,” Fogle said.  

Fogle said the trend is largely driven by the increased use of voice and data devices on wireless networks. New wireless subscribers using postpaid voice and data devices more than doubled from 2013 to 2014 with a 168 and 145 percent increase respectively.

ShareTracker said its wireless panel encompasses 10 percent of all mobile subscribers in the U.S. every quarter.