Is iPhone's success 鈥� gulp 鈥� hurting AT&T?
Say bye-bye to unlimited data?
The 's Martin Peers reports today that the influx of iPhone users 鈥� including next year's 鈥� is taxing the AT&T network more than it can stand, and recommends that wireless carriers drop unlimited data plans altogether.
All together now: "Gasp!"
Mr. Peers's recommendation is based on findings that iPhone users are true bandwidth hogs, despite paying the same $30 rate for unlimited data as users of other smartphones. Still, it's a little hard to swallow. Why would AT&T risk alienating users of its marquee device 鈥� 7.5 percent of its subscriber base, according to Peers 鈥� by raising prices or doing away with unlimited usage?
And, as points out, the iPhone can't be all bad, as AT&T is rumored to have been last week.
Also, notably, this "unlimited data plans are killing AT&T" business seems to fly in the face of murmurings last week of an impending to accompany Apple's of the device.
As is often the case with iPhone rumors (remember ?), it's best to take these 鈥� and Peers' dire prognosis 鈥� with a grain of salt.
