I don't think I came across accurately -- I'm asking why remove XMPP if the issue is not XMPP but the people who are consuming your XMPP data.

If running an XMPP server is on the same level as HTTP (if I understood your "Anyone capable of running XMPP ..." statement), then the issue is not XMPP itself but in the expectations that were set in allowing consumers of your data to abuse public XMPP services like GMail and Jabber.org.

Just like you would assume anyone sending your stream of data to an HTTP server has the rights and resources to process it properly over their internet connection, I would also assume that you would be able to flag public JID's like jabber.org as unreasonable and request that they setup a private server.

If XMPP is the pain you said it is for your team, then sure, don't use it - but to white-wash the entire XMPP community based on your experience with it as an "immature" technology is both inaccurate and unfair.

I am having trouble understanding why you are shutting down the xmpp feed for everyone when the problem is the people who do not have the will or the skills to setup their own xmpp server.

If this is truly a customer server issue, then create a FAQ that shows people how to install Tigase or ejabberd or tivolie or openfire on their internal server and bypass the throttling public services.