Suspension over, LG U+ peddles its limitless data

LG U+, the nation’s smallest mobile carrier, resumes sales activities today, while a business suspension begins for the largest player, SK Telecom. KT’s sales are suspended until April 26, which makes LG U+ the only carrier that can sign up new customers from today through April 26.

LG U+ subscribers can purchase newly released smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S5. During the business suspension, only those who lost or had their smartphones damaged were able to buy new phones.

The carrier released a statement yesterday welcoming the resumption of operations and said it used the period to train employees.

“The past few weeks were an opportunity to prepare for a new takeoff by checking our retail channels and training our staff,” said Lee Sang-cheol, vice chairman of LG U+, at a staff meeting on Thursday.

LG U+ hopes to win new subscribers with an unlimited data plan it unveiled this week and other aggressive marketing strategies.

The company is betting its spring season on new Samsung Galaxy devices and other new models such as the LG G Pro 2 and Pantech’s Vega Secret Up.

LG U+ said it will give discount coupons for the Galaxy Gear Fit and Gear 2 Neo to customers who purchase the Galaxy S5 smartphone released last Thursday. The first 100,000 subscribers who sign up for its two unlimited plans, which offer completely unlimited data, voice calls and messages for 80,000 won ($75.94) and 85,000 won a month, will receive free gifts.

However, the impact of being the sole player in the market for signing up new customers is likely to be limited.

According to the Korea Telecommunication Operators Association, there were an average of 5,916 cases of customers switching carriers daily from March 13 until Wednesday, about one sixth the level in February.

About 273,500 subscribers moved to SK Telecom, 48 percent less than in February. Meanwhile, the altteul (thrift) phone operators saw 86,174 new subscribers switching from other carriers, a 26 percent increase.

“I think the overall frequency of switching between carriers has declined compared to past months,” said a spokesperson from KTOA.

Because the three carriers failed to abide by the telecommunication authority’s order to curb excessive subsidies to customers, each received a 45-day business suspension.

BY kim ji-yoon [jiyoon.kim@joongang.co.kr]