AT& FUD - AT&T Wireless CEO Hints at ‘Managing’ iPhone Data Usage

9. October 2009 by admin.

FUD - Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt … was mentioned here:

http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2007/01/6597.ars (I don’t know how they managed to make the PICTURE cover the majority of the article.) but interestingly that page says, in part:

“those devices completely obliterating a cell tower? A network’s regional network? How about going so far as to completely disable cell phone service for an entire coast?? If you’ve heard of an instance of any of those, I’d like to know about it.? Jobs’ is convinced that an ill-designed iPhone app could wreak havoc on Cingular’s network: ”

That was written in 2007. It sure sounds like AT&T is crying about almost exactly that, the iPhone users are wreaking havoc on their (formerely Cingular) network.

AT&T Wireless CEO Hints at ‘Managing’ iPhone Data Usage
Mark Sullivan, PC World

Oct 7, 2009 7:11 pm

http://www.pcworld.com/article/173320/atandt_wireless_ceo_hints_at_managing_iphone_data_usage.html?tk=nl_dnx_h_crawl

(Dart Board… Throw darts here!)

Ralph De La Vega, C.E.O. and

president, AT&T Mobility. (Photo: AT&T/Microsoft)

CTIA Conference, San Diego–AT&T Wireless CEO Ralph de la Vega bemoaned the disproportionate wireless bandwidth usage of iPhone users in a speech to wireless industry professionals here today, and hinted at an unpleasant way of dealing with the problem.

Alans Photo Note: Maybe AT&T Should get some of these? And put them near where there are large infestations of iPhone users????

From: http://www.cellular-tower-rental.com/

De la Vega talked about the enormous growth in demand for wireless broadband service in the US, and about the immediate need to free up more wireless spectrum to accommodate that growth.

But spectrum is hard to come by these days, and, as De la Vega pointed out, even if new chunks of spectrum could be reallocated quickly, it still takes a few years to build the networks that use that spectrum.

Meanwhile demand for mobile broadband rockets upward among wireless users. De la Vega cited research showing that demand for wireless broadband has grown 5,000 times in the last three years. That growth as roundly expected to accelerate in the coming years.

But all that data usage is not evenly spread across AT&T’s wireless customer base, De la Vega says–far from it. He cited AT&T research showing that just 3 percent of AT&T’s smartphone customers [read iPhone users] use 40 percent of all smartphone data, that they consume 13 times the data of “the average smartphone customer,” yet represent less than 1 percent of AT&T’s total postpaid customer base.

Big problem—but AT&T management should have seen this coming a year ago. Or maybe they did, but getting Wall Street to buy into the idea of aggressive and costly network upgrades is like pulling teeth without anesthetic—lots of screaming.

So in the absence of new spectrum and new, faster 4G networks, what does AT&T intend to do about the growing demand in the near term?

De la Vega’s comments on this subject really caught my attention.

Without the proper management of these networks, De la Vega said, regular data users will be “crowded out” by the small number of users [read iPhone users] who use massive amounts of data.

“We have to manage the network to make sure that the few cannot crowd out the many,” De la Vega continued. He said the words “crowded out” at least five times in that part of his keynote address.

But what exactly does De la Vega mean by “proper management”? That kind of talk reminds me of Comcast’s much-maligned strategy of throttling down the bandwidth allowance of users who routinely download large torrent files.

(more at the link above…)

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/10/is-att-about-to-clamp-down-on-heaviest-wireless-data-users.ars

Ars Technica.com also talks about the AT&T Clamp Down on the Heaviest Wireless Data Users…

AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega took his turn in front of the CTIA conference to argue that the wireless industry doesn’t need any net neutrality regulation. He also suggested that AT&T would be doing something about its heaviest data-using wireless customers.

By Chris Foresman | Last updated October 8, 2009 1:12 PM CT

Yesterday at the CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment 2009 conference, both FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski and AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega gave keynote addresses. While Genachowski stressed the importance of developing “sensible rules of the road” for wireless network neutrality, de la Vega strongly urged that wireless networks must be managed, repeatedly suggesting that net neutrality regulation would let a few heavy data users “crowd out the many” on its 3G data networks.

(more at the link…)

Alan Spicer’s Note: Maybe if “Wall Street” wants to cry about spending the funds needed to upgrade the networks to handle the current user base, and the future user base, then “Wall Street” should stop getting the profits from the wireless networks. It just sounds like a lame excuse as to why they cannot upgrade their networks. Is there really that badly a lack of funds to do this? I mean come on! 4G is coming. Sprint’s already doing 4G with WiMax. Does AT&T want to be in the back? Or do they want to be in the Forefront of Technology and Wireless Service?

So they should go to Portable Cellular Tower Rental and strap on some towers and some bandwidth and quit crying about it. If “Wall Street” is telling them which direction to go, then maybe they need to stop listening to them. Tell “Wall Street” if you want your stock to continue to be of value then the buildout of upgrades to meet the current demand, and the upgrade to 4G, are Must Haves.

You just can’t tell iPhone users that they get “Unlimited Data” plans but cannot use it in an unlimited fashion. You can’t really honestly tell anyone that they cannot use the Internet in an unlimited fashion. If you are doing that, then you are an idiot.

In case you missed the memo, wireless is replacing landline, for voice and Internet. And its happening in droves. It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee. You are smack in the middle of what will be the mass majority of communications and entertainment now and ever increasing in the future. So here’s your memo. Get over it. And get to work on this.

—

Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom

http://www.marinetelecom.net

+1 954-683-3426

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