An employee of SK Telecom Co. tests 5G roaming service in front of Swisscom’s building in Switzerland on July 16, 2019. (image: SK Telecom)
SEOUL, Jul. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. said Tuesday it began the world’s first 5G roaming service in Switzerland in a partnership with a local carrier.
Samsung Galaxy S10 users with SK Telecom’s 5G plan will be able to connect to Swisscom’s 5G network when they visit Switzerland after a software upgrade on their smartphones.
The Korean carrier said it also plans to provide software upgrades to LG V50 users and further expand 5G roaming service to other countries around the globe.
Swisscom is Switzerland’s leading telecom operator with about 6 million subscribers and debuted Europe’s first 5G commercial service in April.
The company currently provides 5G service in 110 cities and villages, including Zurich, Geneva and Bern.
While 4G roaming services are available in many parts of the world, it is the first time that a mobile carrier is offering a 5G roaming service in a foreign country due to a lack of infrastructure for the next-generation mobile network.
LG Uplus Corp., South Korea’s No. 3 carrier, said it will launch its 5G roaming service in Finland on Friday, in partnership with Finnish carrier Elisa.
Elisa, which has 6 million subscribers, rolled out its 5G commercial service in Finland last month.
(Yonhap)
