Alibaba offers free data to aid mobile business

With deep pockets and broad ambitions to boost its mobile business, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, China's e-commerce giant, is offering free data packages that will allow customers to shop with their cellphones or tablets.

The company announced on Wednesday that it will offer China Mobile Ltd users in Guangdong province and China United Netcom Ltd users in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Hunan provinces free access to up to 2 gigabytes of data in November and December.

Mobile users in those areas can apply for the data package when using Alibaba's apps for the company's Taobao Marketplace, Tmall.com, Juhuasuan, Laiwang and Alipay.