There is an interesting article on CNN about ways to use bandwidth more efficiently using new programs under development -- the ones cited are called Catnap and Naptime.

I thought it was funny that the article pointed out that iPhones go to sleep so often that when they are downloading they keep being moved to the end of the queue, thus slowing them down.

Some of these improvements would require changes in routers, the artiicle says -- maybe this would just be a matter of a firmware upgrade.

The article mentions that some ISPs are putting more stringent limits on downloading, thus causing a problem for relative bandwidth hogs such as smart phones.