Reuters have a story today (via Moconews) about the desire of 3G carriers for the 'killer app' that will eventually make 3G services repay the investment the carriers have made in infrastructure.

"I've got a 3G phone but I don't use '3G features'," said Kang Hatan, a research fellow in a lab in Seoul. "Video calls are too expensive and it's hard to find time to watch mobile TV."

Analysts say many operators have neglected the development of content and services that their customers want in their headlong pursuit of new technology. Meanwhile users are still mostly just using their phones to make voice calls and send text messages.

The typical thinking being espoused is that of music and video downloads, and localised search services based on the GPS devices built into some high-end handsets, although interestingly no mention is made of the current failure of location based services, which is caused entirely on the price that operators charge for access to such services.

The report also discusses, albeit briefly, 4th generation services which will allow even higher speeds.

One interesting thing I found is that nowhere is it discussed that perhaps a primary factor in the slow uptake of some services (and again I'm thinking of location based services among others) is the raw cost of these services, a cost which often has no bearing on the cost to provide. James at Moconews also floats the idea that the killer app already exists - SMS:

I'm with the camp that says there is no killer app for 3G, it will take a variety of services and applications to attract different people. SMS and e-mail are listed as having high take-up (unsurprising since they're communication tools) and LBS is touted as providing the final push that will spur uptake.

He goes on to note:

Tom Bradley, EVP at HP, suggested that rather than spend a lot of money on marketing 3G carriers would to better to migrate "bread-and-butter office applications" onto the service, an "if you build it they will come"' approach.

I tend to agree with Tom Bradley and James, especially given the history of SMS, which is a very good example of the 'build it' principle at work.