A couple days ago, I wrote about data problems on the mobile network and LTE helping to resolve it. One thing to remember about LTE riding to the rescue is that given the increased bandwidth, and given the increased marketing activities likely to occur once these LTE networks start to be deployed, the marketing hype might actually contribute towards getting more data onto the networks, so perhaps will ultimately not help anything you are experiencing today (say if you are on an iPhone in New York City living amongst many mobile feral hogs in such a close vicinity to each other). Given this thought, what can be done?

Since LTE is faster, and given there will undoubtedly be more and more data on the mobile networks, is simply deploying an LTE network the answer? As per my blog on Tuesday, while it's part of the answer, no, it isn't the entire answer. There still needs to be work done to ensure the average mobile user can access the network, or to put it another way, to ensure the power users pay their fair share. 

For instance, is there is a better way to architect the networks given more is understood about the usage patterns? Maybe in the future these users get to bypass certain parts of the network? This is certainly possible in an IP world and would benefit all of us. These people might have to pay more for that benefit, but getting back to paying for usage might be better for all users.

As I said in a previous MWC blog, femtocells were a big topic at MWC. Femtocells are tied in to all of this since they enable mobile data to be backhauled not by the wireless networks, but by your home wireline DSL or cable network. A similar argument goes for your smartphone utilizing WiFi when available. All of this helps with the backhaul. And there are increasingly better mobile backhaul options as well.