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AT&T filing shows that smartphone data is facing huge growth

by Mike Schramm Apr 22nd 2011 at 6:00PM

AT&T has submitted a document to the FCC in the process of trying to get that T-Mobile merger approved, and it reveals that AT&T was overwhelmed by the amount of smartphone data traffic it had to push through with the arrival of the iPhone. 2010 saw an 8000% jump in data rates over 2007, according to the document, which adds that "a smartphone generates 24 times the mobile data traffic of a conventional wireless phone, and the explosively popular iPad and similar tablet devices can generate traffic comparable to or even greater than a smartphone." The total apparently went up to 10 petabytes of data per month in 2010. Because of all that data, AT&T is trying to suggest that it "faces network capacity constraints more severe than those of any other wireless provider."

And while AT&T says that connecting with T-Mobile will help both companies be better able to handle their data issues, things aren't going to get easier. The company expects to deliver the same amount of data it served in 2010 in just the first five weeks of 2015.

Lest the FCC start feeling bad for AT&T and its predicament, don't forget that by connecting with Apple for the iPhone in the first place, AT&T gladly took the bullet for all of that data. But yes, AT&T and other data providers have quite a goal in front of them, considering how fast consumer data consumption is growing thanks to Apple's devices.



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AT&T has submitted a document to the FCC in the process of trying to get that T-Mobile merger approved, and it reveals that...
 

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pika2000

So, next thing we know, AT&T will try to lower their cap to 10MB. "It's for the customers!"

April 23 2011 at 11:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rego

If AT&T is allowed to merge with T-Mobile it will lesson competition and cause incresed pricing.

What I would like to see is the development of a competitive satellite system that could provide internet and phone services and bypass current mobile carriers, cable and satellite companies.

Imagine if Apple could fund and operate a system like this.

April 23 2011 at 4:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Emailaddress3

PPP! Yes piss poor planning is the problem. AT&T should have put their network on high priority years ago. And since they haven't they should right now T Mobile or not.
The best network will win this battle so quit crying, use a large part of the $Billions that customers have paid you and reward them with the best network. Do whatever it takes.
Short term; costly.
Long term; profitable!
DO SOMETHING NOW. Your acting like CalTrans.

April 23 2011 at 9:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
vagvolgyi

That just doesn't add up.

They say that "a smartphone generates 24 times the mobile data traffic of a conventional wireless phone". It means that if we replaced ALL the AT&T dumbphones with iPhones then they would generate 24 times as much traffic, which equals to 2400%.
So how exactly did the data traffic grow 80 times (8000%)? Did I miss something?

April 23 2011 at 1:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to vagvolgyi's comment
Fan-of-iTech

Ever heard of standard deviation?

April 23 2011 at 2:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
vagvolgyi

This huge difference is at least 10 times the standard deviation. Otherwise, if 24 is the mean and 80 is within 1x standard deviation then there must be people who are using negative traffic volumes.

April 23 2011 at 5:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bryan T

Does this mean they will use this as reason to justify another price increase?

April 22 2011 at 8:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
adobephile

Hey, don't try to "blame" AT&T for connecting with Apple at the outset of the iPhone. Neither Apple nor AT&T could have predicted the explosive demand for this new iPhone device and the commensurate post-iPhone demand for data traffic. And even if they could have, the capital investment in and installation of infrastructure would have and most likely will continue to be overwhelmed by data traffic demand for a good while to come.

Some day we may learn the reasons for the initial Apple/AT&T exclusive deal, but I think it was Apple's offer to encourage AT&T to take the plunge and make a major comment to support this new data-hungry device.

I think the AT&T/T-Mobile merger is a mere stepping stone towards the necessary network consolidation in order to obtain more bandwidth.

If bandwidth demand continues indefinitely, that factor alone may indeed override antiquated anti-trust considerations as there may not be enough to split between even two competitors.

April 22 2011 at 6:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to adobephile's comment
nintendo fanboy hater

Considering that your alias is adobephile, all of your ideas are suspect... not that this post was any more accurate then Glenn Beck, but damn dude. You are 100% wrong on everything you said.

April 22 2011 at 6:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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