LG Uplus’ market share has surpassed the 20-percent mark for the first time (20.02%), increasing by 0.31 percentage point over the previous month. (image: LG Uplus)
SEOUL, May 28 (Korea Bizwire) – After turns of suspensions imposed on the Korea’s top-three mobile communications firms last month, LG Uplus was the one who ended up smiling.
According to “Mobile Communications Service Statistics” by the Ministry of Sciences, ICT and Future Planning, LG Uplus’ market share has surpassed the 20-percent mark for the first time (20.02%), increasing by 0.31 percentage point over the previous month. Its number of subscribers also escalated 172,718 to 11,048,023 over the same period.
On the other hand, the two other mobile companies–SK Telecom and KT–took a blow from the suspension, as their market shares each dropped by 0.29 and 0.02 percentage point to 50.13 percent and 29.84 percent respectively.
There are two main reasons for LG’s breakthrough during the month. First, due to the suspensions, they could take advantage of more business days compared to their rivals. The suspension period was imposed extensively in April for SK Telecom and KT while LG kept shops opened from April 5 to 26.
An aggressive strategy to take a step forward in a market rapidly transforming toward LTE services was the other factor that helped the company. Consequently, the No. 3 mobile service company could quicken its growth pace in the past several years, as its market share increased from 17.89 percent at the end of 2011, to 18.95 percent at the end of 2012, and to 20 percent last year when LTE network began servicing in earnest.
Nevertheless, some have claimed that the leap will be just a momentary one as the suspension played a substantial part in it. There are projections that KT, which was the first one out of the three to be back on track this month, will soon reclaim the 30-percent share.
Written by J. H. Kim (jhkim@koreabizwire.com)
Technology (Follow us @Technews_Korea)
