Is This a Warning for AT&T and Verizon?

Korea’s consumers on 4G networks have more than quintupled the monthly data consumption of 3G users on average. As a result, carriers see an average increase of $13 per user. While that’s good money to be taking in, the money going out to build up the 4G network might be a bit too much.

Korea’s biggest and second biggest mobile network operators have been struggling to make money off 4G for about year and a half now. The faster demand for it grows, the more investment carriers have to put into it, and the longer it takes to see a profit.

While the winds of fortune may blow differently for AT&T, Verizon, and other U.S. carriers implementing 4G — perhaps consumers here will cave in to higher premiums — the struggle in Korea cannot be ignored.

Don’t Miss: Clearwire, Sprint, and Dish Network: The Standoff Continues.