Asia Pacific Telecom (APT), Taiwan’s fifth largest mobile operator with a 5.5 per cent market share, aims for all of its subscribers to use its 4G network by the end of Q1 2017.

Over 90 per cent of the operator’s 1.7 million mobile subscribers are 4G users, after about 400,000 customers migrated off its 3G network in the current quarter.

APT, a subsidiary of Hon Hai Precision, launched 4G service two years ago. This week it introduced new unlimited data plans that expand the scope of its free voice calls to all networks in the country for TWD999 ($31), the Taipei Times reported. The operator was the first in Taiwan to launch free voice calls.

Taiwan’s top five operators have over 17 million 4G users in total, according to GSMA Intelligence. Market leader Chunghwa Telecom has 6.6 million 4G customers, which account for 64 per cent of its user base. Far EasTone has 4.3 million 4G users (58 per cent of its total), while Taiwan Mobile has 3.9 million (52 per cent of total). Both have a 24 per cent market share.

Number four operator Taiwan Star has 700,000 4G users, representing just 16 per cent of its user base.