iPhone networks in UK to drop unlimited data plans; Blackberry RIM 'affected' as 6 pct switch

iPhone network providers in the UK are dropping 'unlimited' data plans after the new iPhone 4 launch in order to maximise its 3G performance after 02 found that users started experiencing network problems due 36 pct of traffic coming from just 3 pct of phones.

Three, one of the UK's 'cleanest' networks announced the cap on iPhone users after ComScore's market research found that Apple's users were amongst the highest consumers of mobile internet.

The survey found that 94 percent were using mobile media; 87 percent applications, and 85 percent browsing the mobile internet.

02 - which has had to publically apologise for the poor network quality - after they were severely strained by network capacity following the exclusive launch of iPhone in the UK over three years - the move of which has led the iPhone to broaden its reach to other networks, including Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone and now Three.

Tesco mobile, who also announced their pricing plan are stepping into the market, by offering the cheapest 12-month contract offerings for just £589, whilst Three, who had been expected to launch an unlimited data plan went for being cheapest over 24 months - the both of them capped their plans' data usage.

The news follows Piper Jaffray's - a middle-market investment firm - that said 6 pct of buyers at the launch in San Francisco, New York and Minneapolis were switching from Research in Motion, Blackberry.