Is 2010 The Year of Wireless Congestion?

[demonlordoftheround]

For the last few years, wireless carriers and manufacturers have been pushing smartphones as the way to go. But now that a growing numbers of Americans are using them, the system seems like it's starting to choke.

New York and San Francisco are giant dead zones for many iPhone users. Research In Motion, maker of BlackBerrys, had two outages within a week recently, highly unusual for the reliable devices. Last January, some of the 2 million people attending the presidential inauguration couldn't get phone service because the area around the nation's capital was so congested with cell traffic.
Some say such congestion could be more common this year because of nearly 280 million Americans' growing reliance on cell phones, continuing consumer demand for data-intensive mobile programs like video and audio, fourth-generation cell networks that are not in place for most of the country and inadequate wireless spectrum to meet customer needs.

AT&T, the exclusive seller of Apple's iPhone in the United States, in particular, did not adequately anticipate the device's huge popularity, critics say, making the company a victim of its success, and its customers frustrated in the process. Users around the country have complained about sometimes-spotty coverage with the phone.

"What’s driving usage on the network and driving these high usage situations are things like video, or audio that keeps playing around the clock," said Ralph de la Vega, president of AT&T Mobility. "And so we’ve got to get to those customers and have them recognize that they need to change their pattern, or there will be other things that they are going to have to do to reduce their usage.”

Whether those "other things" include higher rates for whatever data usage is deemed excessive is not known. De la Vega said first AT&T will concentrate on "improving all of our systems so that we can begin to give customers real-time information about their data usage and begin to get customers educated."


The entire article can be found here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34634571...ch_and_gadgets

[curses]

It seems as though they are putting the onus on the customers, to change the way we use our devices as opposed to working to find solutions on their end. These same devices that are sold on the premise of being able to run all these apps, use GPS, access the internet, email, ect... For which we are also sold unlimited data plans. But we better change our ways or they will find ways to do it for us?

It just sounds funny to me.

[hypeo]

Funny how I sell you something but i will punish you for using it!!

[x10guy]

Originally Posted by demonlordoftheround

...
AT&T, the exclusive seller of Apple's iPhone in the United States, in particular, did not adequately anticipate the device's huge popularity...

I don't think anyone anticipated how popular the iphone was going to be... certainly not AT&T and to some extent, Verizon. Otherwise they probably wouldn't have rejected it when Apple came to Verizon first. It is definitely a problem and the source of most complaints but in reality, I would bet the other carriers wouldn't mind having similar problems.

Love it or hate it, the iphone definitely has definitely signaled the age of the smartphone. Smartphone development over the last 2 years has grown in leaps and bounds... now all of platforms (iphone, Winmo, and now Android) are more and more heavily data centric.

[Magoo_215]

I know for the comment Im about to type up some might find inconsiderate but if I was to buy an IPhone or any mobile device that they are having problem with becuase of the data clogging I wouldnt change the way I would use my phone because its my phone. Not my fault.

[curses]

Originally Posted by Magoo_215

I know for the comment Im about to type up some might find inconsiderate but if I was to buy an IPhone or any mobile device that they are having problem with becuase of the data clogging I wouldnt change the way I would use my phone because its my phone. Not my fault.

I agree 100%.

I hate to sound like 'the-slippery-slope-guy', but while this is centered around the iPhone right now, it will of course have far reaching implications on the way we are allowed to use our devices.

[curses]

A little more here:

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/12/iphone-caps/

[demonlordoftheround]

It seems like the carriers are having a hard time keeping up with the demand for wireless data. Even though they offer "Unlimited Data", some Sprint users have found "Unlimited" to mean 5GB per month.

Will the carriers institute fees for data use during peak periods?

[MrObvious]

It's not our fault they don't add enough carrier lines from the towers to the main hubs.

[Magoo_215]

The day I hear Sprint say I know there is an unlimited plan but can you use it a little less is the day I sell my TP2 and get me HD2. Thats kinda sad how they can just change the rules and no one can do anything about it.... Feels good not to deal with that lol. Shouldnt have been stingy with the IPhone!!! Wheres my flippin 6.5 update Sprint?