AT&T has noted today that they are considering changing the way smartphone users access wireless data, complaining that 3 percent of all their users use about 40 percent of all wireless data, straining the carrier’s network.
“What we are seeing in the U.S. today in terms of smartphone penetration, 3G data, nobody else is seeing in the rest of the planet,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and chief executive for mobility and consumer markets at AT&T. “The amount of growth and data that we are seeing in wireless data is unprecedented.”
Most of the 3G data use comes from users of the Apple iPhone, and the same group are the biggest complainers of AT&T’s network, which allegedly has delayed text and voice messages as well as slow downloads for videos and music.
AT&T said they would first try to “encourage” users to cut back on data, despite the fact that they pay good money to have unlimited plans. “We’re going to try to focus on making sure we give incentives to those small percentages to either reduce or modify their usage, so they don’t crowd out the customers on those same cell sites,” added de la Vega.
Additionally, the carrier announced it will add 2000 cell sites to improve the infrastructure of its network.
Result for: incentives
BT, the British ISP and one of the region’s largest companies has announced they will be offering employees the opportunity to take one year off of work in exchange for a 75 percent price cut for that year.
Any employee who takes the pay cut and vacation will receive the 25 percent remaining of their salary as an upfront payment.
BT is desperately trying to cut costs after posting a massive 1 billion pound loss for the Q1 2009.
The telecom has also said it will be laying off over 15,000 of its 100,000 employees over the next year. Employees are also being given larger incentives to work part-time.
