Hong Kong mobile operator SmarTone said it would stop offering unlimited data plans for its customers from February 13, becoming the first cellco in the city to do so.
The move complies with new Fair Usage Policy (FUP) rules from regulator OFTA which come into effect this month. Under the new rules, mobile operators cannot impose limitations on users of unlimited local data service plans, including the usage through a FUP.
SmarTone will cap the data usage in its current unlimited plans at 2 GB that charges HK$398 ($51) per month, as the operator says 85% of its customers use less than that.
High-usage customers can increase this cap with data add-ons for HK$100 for 1 GB or HK$200 for 3 GB. All existing contracts and those signed before February 13 are unaffected, SmarTone said in a statement.
SmarTone shares closed 14% higher at HK$15.26, after the announcement came out.
Other mobile operators are likely to follow suit. Amy Long, COO of 3 Hong Kong, said earlier that the company would announce new arrangements to its customers before the deadline.