China Mobile on Thursday launched 4G LTE mobile data services in Hong Kong allowing cross border data sharing plans when roaming in China.

The company said that subscribers who sign up for new 3G and 4G data plans with China Mobile in Hong Kong as of Friday will be able to travel to China to use mobile data services for a fixed monthly fee, reducing data roaming expenses.

"Broadband demand for accessing the Internet "anytime and anywhere" is facing tremendous growth, corresponding with the global explosion of data," Tiger Lin, chairman of China Mobile Hong Kong, said in a statement.

"In view of this trend, 3G networks have already lagged behind the data demands of this generation."

Hong Kong has already launched next generation 4G services, with CSL Ltd, a unit of Australia's Telstra Corp, the first to do so in November 2010, though China has yet to do so commercially, with some cities undergoing trial runs, Reports Reuters.

China, which has the world's largest number of mobile phone subscribers with the number crossing a billion, still mainly uses 3G technology.

The company's 4G services will initially use European technology FDD-LTE and then also be supported by home grown technology TD-LTE by the end of the year, according to The Standard.

China Mobile, the world's largest mobile carrier, hopes to export its TD-LTE technology to other countries.

The technology is already available in India and in parts of Europe and America.

Group chairman Xi Guohua said last month the 4G service in Hong Kong will serve as a launchpad to expand the "TD club" worldwide.