Engadget reports that US operator Sprint has confirmed it will end its unlimited data plans for mobile hotspots from next month. Data sent and received over tethering – not smartphone usage – will now be measured against a 5GB cap. “The same applies to mobile broadband subscribers, who will lose "unlimited" WiMAX, instead having all their bits counting towards 3GB, 5GB or 10GB buckets,” notes Engadget. Sprint’s unlimited data smartphone plan is currently a major marketing differentiator for the firm, battling to win subscribers from larger rivals AT&T and Verizon Wireless, but there has long been speculation it will not make commercial sense for the company to continue with this strategy.