End of Analog Mobile Phone Era

The analog mobile phone makes its exit this year after leading the popularization of the pocket telephone in 1988.
The Ministry of Information and Communication announced on Monday that SK Telecom Company will cease to provide the analog mobile phone service from next year, due to the decrease of subscribers to 250,000 and the scarcity of new members. If the frequency band used for the analog service was converted for digital use, the mobile phone service, which has abruptly increased telephone traffic, will provide a higher quality phone service.
SK will suspend any new applications for the analog service from this month onwards, while converting existing members to the digital service.
A manager in the ministry, Song Yoo Jong, said, 'We will approve SK's suspension of the analog service as it cannot compete with the digital phone in diversity of service, and the digital system is more efficient in its use of the frequency band. However, the switchover of existing analog members to the digital service by the end of this year is a condition of our approval.'
SK is worrying about not having enough time to convert, and the expense of supplying new handsets. The preference by seamen of the analog system, as its signals reach further on the ocean than digital, is another problem. SK is considering providing them with special equipment which will amplify the digital signal.
Jooan Kang : jooan@joongang.co.kr