Investigators from the National Forensic Service enters the KT Corp. building in the Ahyeon district in western Seoul on Nov. 26, 2018 to conduct an on-site probe into the cause of fire that destroyed cable lines and caused major network disruptions. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — A bill that obligates mobile service providers to compensate for network errors passed the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee at the National Assembly on Thursday.
The news comes after KT Corp.’s Ahyeon Branch Office in Seoul recently caught fire, shutting down mobile and Internet network traffic in the area.
The bill will amend the Telecommunications Business Act to include new provisions on compensation offered by mobile carriers to customers.
The bill also obligates service providers to provide customers with details about network outages as well as standards and procedures for compensation.
Current legislation provides no legal grounds for compensation when network outages occur, raising concerns over potential infringements of customer rights.
In fact, SK Telecom Co. resorted to internal policies during a network outage last April, paying as little as 600 won to 7,300 won (US$6.50) to each affected customers in compensation based on the rule that for network outages persisting for more than three hours, the company would pay back double the mobile service charges incurred during the outage.
The bill also eased restrictions on the establishment of new facilities-based telecommunications businesses, as well as integrating special category telecommunications businesses into facilities-based telecommunications businesses for better regulation.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
