The unlimited mobile data feature is back in vogue, with both M1 and StarHub announcing new plans to cater to data-heavy users.

From today, customers can sign up for M1's mySIM3 98 plan which comes with unlimited mobile data for $98 a month. Users have to sign a 12-month contract. The plan is known as "line only" - it does not come with a subsidised phone.

Before the announcement of the unlimited plan, M1's most generous data offering comes with 25GB of data for $125 a month, with a 12-month contract.

M1's line-only plans will also be cut to four packages - mySIM3 20, mySIM3 40, mySIM3 40 and mySIM3 98 - from the six now. The most basic mySIM3 20 plan will cost $20 for 5GB of mobile data when users sign a 12-month contract.

StarHub, meanwhile, will also offer new plans from today, providing customers unlimited mobile data usage on Saturday and Sunday.

"Fuelled by more advanced phones and pixel-heavy content, Singapore consumers' appetite for data continues to grow. With our new data-focused plans, we are enabling our customers to do more of what they love on their smartphones freely and at much faster speeds too," said Mr Justin Ang, StarHub head of product.

StarHub's line-only plans will start from $24 a month for 3GB of mobile data to $119 a month for 15GB of mobile data. But data use during the weekends is unlimited. Customers need not sign a contract for StarHub's line-only plans.

The move reverses a trend of lowering data caps that started when 4G services were launched in 2012. Up till then, most telco plans came with 12GB of data instead of the 2GB to 5GB that is the norm today.

Irene Tham