Senin, 11 Juni 2012

iPhone users take 50% of all 3G traffic

iPhone users take 50% of all 3G traffic

By Eddie Wrenn

PUBLISHED: 08:45 EST, 11 June 2012 | UPDATED: 09:50 EST, 11 June 2012

White iPhone 4s smartphone

Smartphones such as the iPhone are slurping up a lot of date - around 350mb a month

Next time your mobile phone operator complains that you are using too much data, or whacks massive fines on you for using the internet abroad, spare a thought for the strain our smartphones are placing on the system.

For smartphones - Android and Apple in particular - are slurping up so much data, phone operators are having to put their resources into keeping the data flowing.

The biggest offender is the iPhone, which - despite being used by an average of 20 per cent of users, takes up nearly 45 per cent of all data traffic.

Next is Android, which has around 15 per cent of all users, and uses about 30 per cent of the traffic.

Users of both types of smartphone an average of 350mb a month, generally for web-browsing or downloading emails, videos, music and documents - although there is more variation in the Android figures as the brand caters to both premium and budget users.

The report was by analysts Ericsson, using data from Europe, Ame rica and Asia, who point out the great variance in different data deals across network and countries.

iPhone users are generally paying a premium for their service, and generally use a high level of data, so are seen as the greatest data users.

The problem is that phones and phone networks are beginning to upgrade to '4G', or 'LTE' in the U.S. which allows greater speed and greater capacity.

While other networks are beginning to upgrade their phones to this level, Apple is notoriously secret about its models, and if the next iPhone remains with a 3G antenna only, networks may keep needing to invest in the older technology to keep iPhone users happy.

Understanding the chart: With the iPhone, networks report between 5-65% of their users have iphones, using 5-80% of the date. The black bars show the average across all networks in Europe, America and Asia

Understanding the chart: With the iPhone, networks report between 5-65% of their users have iphones, using 5-80% of the date. The black bars show the average across all networks in Europe, America and Asia

The release of the latest iPad, which uses 4G networks, implies Apple will look to upgrade phones too - but 3G has a long shelf-life ahead

The release of the latest iPad, which uses 4G networks, implies Apple will look to upgrade phones too - but 3G has a long shelf-life ahead

While the new iPad was 4G-compatible, indicating Apple may move this way on its mobiles, the launch of a new iPhone will also send prices plummeting fort he last few Apple mobiles, sending 3G usage soaring again, and meaning the networks need to spend more money on improving the older network.

As Donald Masters, at World News Resource said: The problem is, such favor toward the 3G iPhone could essentially prove disastrous for networks and carriers in the US, as large and ongoing investment is needed in order to keep up with demand. This in turn allows less time, efforts and cash to be focused on 4G LTE development and roll-outs, stunting the growth of an essentially progression.

Here's what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have not been moderated.

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"So what are we to make of Europe deciding a different 4g standard to the US is needed when millions of 4g iPad 3s are already in the UK " Russ Naile, Portsmouth I have not looked this up but it is probably that the section of the spectrum that the US use for 4G is being used for something else in Europe so another part has to be used hence the difference.

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If we wasn't then they would just say there is no point in having 4G as no one uses enough data. They are just trying to blame us for the delay that in reality they are causing by doing everything possible to delay the spectrum auction because they only care about themselves and getting what is best for them . Instead of letting Ofcom do its job and do what is best for us by insuring there is health competition they are calling everything unfair that is not perfect for there profits even if it will be better for consumers.

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Simple answer network operators: Stop selling phones, pushing phones, pushing data plans, pushing free sims etc etc! OR get out of the business! AND stop winging about the business you chose to operate in...

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I only use 500MB a month on my iPhone. Hardly breaking the 3G bank.

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The reason we have smart phones is to exploit internet on the move, so of course we use a lot of data! As much I'd love a faster network, I would prefer better UK coverage of the existing 3G network - so many dead areas. It's a real pain losing or getting 2G networks. Alternatively, make the 4G network FULL UK coverage and I'll switch to that one. That would be the only reason for me to switch phones.

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What nonsense! The great usage of 3g data, at overpriced UK rates, will greatly increase phone suppliers profits, even after investing in further 3g capacity infrastructure. In the meantime, those funds going into developing 4g infrastructure will be paid back as 4g use develops! So what are we to make of Europe deciding a different 4g standard to the US is needed when millions of 4g iPad 3s are already in the UK and Apple are ready to unveil the iPhone 5 with 4g? What on earth are the phone providers thinking of?

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The reason we have smart phones is to exploit internet on the move, so of course we use a lot of data! As much I'd love a faster network, I would prefer better UK coverage of the existing 3G network - so many dead areas. It's a real pain losing or getting 2G networks. Alternatively, make the 4G network FULL UK coverage and I'll switch to that one. That would be the only reason for me to switch phones.

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spend several hours listening to streaming radio every day on my s2 and will continue to do so thankyou. I'm posting this using the Android app, these are reasons I bought a smartphone and use giffgaff, unlimited Internet. I doubt I use more than a couple of gb a month and a lot is wifi. - Mark78, Suffolk, 11/6/2012 16:07 I've looked into GiffGaff, as this gentleman advises, and I tentatively concur with him - it looks like a better solution than mine.

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Which industry lobby group paid to have this on your site DM? Companies like vodafone, Orange, et al are massively profitable, and data usage hasn't stopped the role out of 4G in America. This is just fluff to make excuses for the fact that we are going to be 5 years behind the rest of the world in getting a 4G network because as ever the status quo is more profitable than investing in new network technology...

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I spend several hours listening to streaming radio every day on my s2 and will continue to do so thankyou. I'm posting this using the Android app, these are reasons I bought a smartphone and use giffgaff, unlimited Internet. I doubt I use more than a couple of gb a month and a lot is wifi.

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