High-Speed Mobile Competition Hots Up In Korea: LG U+ Raises Flag For Country’s First Unlimited LTE Data Plans

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2013년 01월 28일 Sue J. Hur

LG U+, Korea’s third-largest mobile carrier, will release the nation’s first unlimited-data plans for customers using LTE networks. From Jan. 31 to April 30, customers who switch from another provider will be eligible for the free plan, fueling the intensifying battle for new LTE customers.

The unlimited data plans offered by LG U+ will come in three fee levels: $88, $101, and $120. Customers will be eligible for, 14Gb, 20Gb, and 24Gb of data, respectively per month. Even after this entitlement, they will be able to use up to 3 gigabytes of data for free each day, according to a company source.

And even after this extra allocation, “they can still use data free, but the connection speed will be limited to two megabits per second,” LG U+ said in a statement. This ‘reduced’ speed is less than LTE, but still faster than 3G networks.

Currently, the nation’s three mobile carriers (SK Telecom, KT, and LG U+) offer LTE speeds five times faster than 3G networks, but non have yet offered unlimited LTE.

Mobile carriers have offered unlimited 3G data plans for subscribers of monthly plans over $46, but haven’t these plans for LTE subscribers, due to concerns over waning profitability. This has been a source of criticism by heavy data users.

According to the mobile carriers, a combined 15.89 million people subscribed to LTE services in 2012, up 13.4 percent from 2011, and by LTE subscribers only, LG U+ comes in as the No. 2 player after SK Telecom.
In response to these ‘aggressive moves’ by LG U+, SK Telecom said it was also looking into providing unlimited-data plans.

I have been on an LTE plan for about 18 months, which gives me 3Gb of data, and costs around $92 per month. An unlimited data offer for around the prices suggested by LG U+ would definitely make me switch, as I curtail my current data usage heavily.

Have limited data plans affected your work / social life?

If you had unlimited LTE, how would you use it?

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