AT&T (NYSE: T) typically gets all the attention for having the most data running over its network because of its iPhone exclusivity. However, a study has found that smartphone users on Verizon Wireless’ network are consuming the most data out of most U.S. carriers.
The findings are interesting given that AT&T is perceived as the carrier most affected by the heavy usage of its consumers, and adds weight to Verizon’s “There’s a map for that campaign” that claimed to have a more robust network than its closest competitor.
The study was conducted by Validas, which examined consumer wireless bills between January and May of 2010, according to its blog post. Interestingly, it excluded BlackBerry devices from the research because their compression techniques resulted in such different consumption patterns from other smartphones. Presumably, this means we are comparing mostly Android phones to iPhones. While the sample size and the exclusion of BlackBerry obviously will affect results, the findings point to one significant trend: Data usage is increasing across the board.
To that end, Verizon Wireless was seen as experiencing the largest data jump this year with average users consuming 147.2 MB, up from only 48.2 MB a year ago, reports Information Week. Additionally, it found that Verizon Wireless is seeing nearly twice as many smartphone users consuming 500 MB to 1 GB per month compared to AT&T iPhone users. In fact, more than 11 percent of Verizon’s customers are in this category, compared with just 5.6 percent of AT&T’s iPhone users.
This information syncs with information provided by AT&T recently that says 98 percent of smartphones on its network uses less than 2 GB of data a month on average. AT&T used that fact to justify restructuring its data rate plans that encourage users to adopt a lower-priced plan capped at 2 GB for $25, rather than keeping their $30 unlimited plan. AT&T said recently in its quarterly conference call that consumers have been reluctant to take advantage of that offer.
It’s not just smartphones that are taxing carriers’ networks these days, and if Verizon is seeing more usage, AT&T is still seeing extraordinary growth. In 2008, AT&T said data traffic growth was unprecedented, jumping by 5,000 percent in a 12-quarter period. AT&T
The problem isn’t that iphones use a lot of data, it is that they are bad phones, with poor antennas. That causes them to use disproportionate air resources and/or generate more noise.