How service providers see the people to whom they provide service:

WSJ:

1% of users are consuming 50% of data

In tackling the demands on their network—and in the absence of additional spectrum to carry the data, or more efficient technologies such as next-generation LTE which allow more data to be carried over existing frequencies, both of which have long lead times—Mr. Flanagan said network operators had typically responded with either choking back heavy users, or with heavy penalty charges to curb behavior.

However, Mr. Flanagan suggested better network management, and intelligent placing of small cells to absorb the heavy users, could could go someway to help alleviate the problem.

“If you see that 1% of users are consuming 50% of your data you could free up about half of your network if you got rid of these users, churn them off to other networks to ruin your competitors. However  you could keep them as valued customers and find more efficient ways to get a microcell to exactly where the subscriber is.”

The report said that from the survey the heavy users had consistent use patterns making the task of locating them and serving their needs easier.

So for them it’s a matter of containment – high bandwidth users are not a bellwether of future usage but rather a pain in the arse; and feature-rich handsets ought to be deprecated – another quote:

In the survey users of the Blackberry Bold Touch, for example, consumed just over half the download data, and 62% of the upload data, of an iPhone 3G. Whether that was due to owner behavior or the way Blackberries serve data was not possible to say. The Nokia E72 consumed just 32% of the download data of a benchmark iPhone 3G, yet 92% of the upload data.

Yeah, but the E72 was vile, ugly, and targeted at corporate drones rather than at real people who want to do fun stuff. And isn’t it strange that all the low-download handsets seem to be the ones with keyboards?

Anyway, in summary: a) show us the figures WSJ, and b) what are these carrier-types smoking?