I understand, yet it's a bit subjective. A lot of us paid $40 a month a few years ago. Heck, back in 2000 data was often charged by the minute, which really sucked when web browsing at 19Kbps.
I don't think it's a small fraction. It cost billions to buy LTE bandwidth, to install and maintain equipment and centers, and for increased backhaul to thousands of cell sites for both LTE and EVDO.
So... then what do you think of Apple's even larger profits? Apple makes more than Verizon Wireless does, yet they just stash it away instead of using it to help build the costly infrastructures that the iPhone needs to work at all.
Regards.
Absolutely, data charges are subjective. I am basing my understanding of what seems "fair" upon anecdotal pricing from international service providers...from what I hear, Europeans pay much less for those services.
Also, in response to your point regarding infrastructure cost...yes, those upgrades are costly, but they represent a finite expenditure which is quickly recouped through the expensive plans we pay; more so, the vast majority of smart phones cannot take advantage of new LTE/4G speeds. So, this justification seems a tad unsavory to me.
Regardless, when you look studies of cost against service (for the mobile provider industry), the difference is huge.
Lastly, Apple's profit margins juxtaposed against their lack of philanthropic efforts and stagnant RD expansion does leave me very critical and disappointed. It very much goes against Steve's mantra of "were here for our customers, not our shareholders".
Thanks for the great comment, stay well friend