| The three mobile carriers each have their first 5G smartphone customers
| Continued expansion of 5G networks in densely populated areas
| Ministry of Science and ICT to resolve concerns over fee burden and leave it to the market The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 4th that at 11 PM on the 3rd, the three mobile carriers officially launched 5G services by simultaneously opening 5G mobile smartphones to the first subscribers of each company.
The era of 5G mobile communications has begun in South Korea for the first time in the world.
On December 1st of last year, at the same time as the launch of 5G radio waves, our country's three mobile carriers launched 5G services targeting corporate customers via dongle terminals. As a result, we achieved the world's first smartphone-based 5G commercialization by releasing 5G smartphones before any other country in the world.
The industry expected that 5G services would be launched on the 5th, but commercialization preparations, including the launch of 5G smartphones and the establishment of service terms and conditions, were completed earlier than expected, allowing for the launch to be brought forward by two days from the original plan.
The three mobile carriers will first launch 5G services in densely populated areas of major cities such as Seoul, the metropolitan area, and some metropolitan cities, similar to the initial 4G service. We plan to continue to expand the 5G network construction so that 5G services can be provided in densely populated areas of 85 cities across the country by the end of this year.
5G smartphone users will have to use 4G LTE service for the time being in areas where 5G networks are not deployed.
Minister of Science and ICT Yoo Young-min said, “5G will make services that were previously only in the imagination, such as autonomous driving, unmanned robots, and holograms, a reality, and will create new innovations and added value through convergence with various industries.” He added, “As our country has been able to get ahead of other countries in the 5G era by being the first in the world to commercialize 5G, we will focus all of our national capabilities so that we can become the world’s best 5G powerhouse.”
He continued, “I understand that some people are concerned about the burden of fees, but as 5G services become established and competition among operators intensifies, I expect that various rate plans, including low- to mid-priced plans, will be launched,” expressing an optimistic opinion. He said that he would leave it up to the market, but criticism seems inevitable.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and ICT will hold an event on the 8th at the Olympic Park in Seoul to look back on the significance of the world’s first 5G commercialization and demonstrate 5G-based convergence services. The event will also feature the announcement of the “5G+ Strategy,” a national industrial strategy.
