Gov't. body raises spectre of AOL outages

The iPad could potentially cause serious havoc for US data networks, say people writing on behalf of the Federal Communications Commission. Updating an official blog, Phil Bellaria, director of scenario planning for the Omnibus Broadband Initiative, and John Leibovitz -- deputy chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau -- observe that the device may put extra strain on already problematic networks. "With the iPad pointing to even greater demand for mobile broadband on the horizon," the pair write, "we must ensure that network congestion doesn't choke off a service that consumers clearly find so appealing or frustrate mobile broadband's ability to keep us competitive in the global broadband economy."

The situation could become serious enough, say Bellaria and Leibovitz, that it might echo the problems of AOL dial-up in 1996 and 1997. After opening up to unlimited use, AOL's servers collapsed under the load, preventing people from getting any sort of consistent access for several months.

Although avoiding direct insinuations, the post makes clear references to AT&T, which will be the only initial American carrier to support the 3G iPad. The carrier has had enough trouble supporting iPhone data traffic, particularly in New York City in San Francisco. It is feared that the iPad, designed to be treated more like a computer, could overwhelm some AT&T nodes.

AT&T has refused to comment on the threat. Apple has also been silent, but did mention during a Q1 results call that AT&T is "making plans to address" the overload created by the iPhone.

by MacNN Staff