Models introduce various 5G services available on smartphones during a showcase event held at KT Corp’s headquarters in Seoul on April 2, 2019. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Apr. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean telecom firm KT Corp. on Tuesday introduced its mobile data plan for 5G smartphones, hoping to attract customers with wide coverage and a range of content.
KT, the nation’s second-largest mobile carrier, launched three 5G mobile with free international roaming data in South Korea and 185 countries. They also offer voice calls and text messages for free.
The basic 5G package is priced at 80,000 won for 5GB data, which is cheaper than the unlimited data plan for current LTE 4G phones.
The special plan offers 50 GB data for connecting smart devices and tethering for 100,000 won, and the premium package offers 100 GB for 130,000 won.
KT said it will offer a 360-degree media service as well as e-sports and high-quality music content to maximize the user experience with the help of the ultra-fast, low-latency network.
The carrier said it will have about 30,000 network stations across the nation to launch its commercial 5G service by the time Samsung Electronics Co.’s Galaxy S10 5G goes on sale Friday.
KT said it will focus on creating various business opportunities in industrial sectors by providing a platform for innovative services and solutions.
“We expect B2B (business-to-business) sales to create about twice the current sales (from 5G),” Lee Pil-jae, a vice president at KT, said in a press briefing. “We will put all services on one platform.”
KT said it expects 5G users will account for over 10 percent of its smartphone customers by the end of this year, hoping to cash in from the new service as early as the third quarter.
The telecom has collaborated with Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., the world’s largest shipbuilder, to integrate its 5G network to improve security and better coordinate the manufacturing process.
The company also developed a 5G smart factory based on machine vision, which allows for automatic inspections and analyses based on images, increasing productivity in labor-intensive work.
(Yonhap)
