Uncapping data: Vendors explore alternatives to mobile Internet quotas

Discounting only really works when customers are paying for the data consumed, a concept that has yet to take hold in the US. But Smuin said operators here may overhaul their business models as they move to 4G. Even though long-term evolution (LTE) and WiMax will introduce far greater amounts of capacity into the network at much lower operational costs, they have their limits, Smuin said. If operators continue to offer unlimited bandwidth plans, they'll gain customers, but it will take them years to recoup their investments.

"I don't anticipate operators having unlimited bandwidth over any spectrum anytime soon, even with LTE," Smuin said. "Demand for data capacity will always grow faster than data availability."