Taiwanese people love “all you can eat” services. Not only are there all kinds of all you can eat restaurants in Taiwan, but Taiwanese people also love similar types of unlimited mobile Internet services. Currently mobile Internet services around the world all set the standards for fee collection in accordance with the transmission rate, or they have a 5GB limit before customers experience slower data transmission rates. It is only in Taiwan that users are privy to unlimited data plans that will not slow down after certain limits are surpassed.

According to industry statistics, 3G generation telecom 3G usage in Taiwan has been between 4GB and 6GB. Entering the 4G generation, audiovisual services are experiencing rapid growth, and this is driving the transmission rates for 4G to rise up to between 8 and 10GB. Compared to other countries around the world, Taiwan's 3G usage has already surpassed South Korean users' standard 4G data transmission rate of 3 to 4GB. Upon entering the 4G era, Taiwan's transmission rate will be the world's highest.

However, with the rapid growth in 4G users and the rapid growth in data transmission, Taiwanese mobile providers are considering changing their fee collection methods or raising their rates.

Taiwan's largest telecommunications provider, Chunghwa Telecom stated that in the short term 80% of 3G users will upgrade to 4G. Chunghwa Telecom has already sped up its 4G network construction plan from three years to two years. Furthermore, in terms of 4G benefits, Chunghwa Telecom has already decided to do away with unlimited data benefits, and other Taiwanese telecommunications providers are expected to follow suite with these measures.

(TR/Phil Sweeney)