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Technical limits behind unlimited data storm

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When the time came, the industry was split.

On February 13, when new rules on unlimited mobile phone data plans came into effect, telecommunications companies PCCW and China Mobile stopped offering unrestricted contracts to subscribers, while SmarTone, CSL and 3HK decided to plug on.

Under new rules from the telecoms watchdog Ofta, each operator had to decide whether to stop marketing 'unlimited' smartphone packages, or to keep going, but clearly set out hidden pitfalls in such deals in contracts and in promotional material.

Unlimited plans, which let subscribers download as much data as they want for a fee, have become more popular over the years as smartphones have become more common.

In Hong Kong, mobile data usage across all networks has shot up in the past year. According to Ofta, usage rose from 278MB per user per month in November 2010, to 370MB in June last year, and 451MB in November.

However, it is not known how many people have signed up for unlimited plans.

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