Dear AT&T: Soon We'll All Be Data Hogs

By now you've read all about the pros and cons of AT&T's new tiered data plans. The demise of the wireless carrier's all-you-can-eat unlimited offering is bad news for the small percentage of bandwidth hogs who, with their piggish downloading and streaming, are slowing Ma Bell's robust network to a crawl. OK, laugh -- but just a little. Because it's true, even on wired broadband networks, that a tiny portion of subscribers gobble up most of the bandwidth. But with the expected surge in video applications for wireless devices, we'll all be data hogs soon enough.

First, consider the 3G iPad, an entertainment device tailored for video-viewing (among other things). Then there's the likely addition of a video camera to the fourth-generation iPhone, a feature that opens the door to a new generation of smartphone video apps. And don't forget that Apple isn't the only player in this market. Additional tablets and dual-camera handsets will undoubtedly join the AT&T network too, making most subscribers pretty piggish in the carrier's eyes.