KTFs 3G Subscriber Hit 3 Million

By Cho Jin-seo

Staff Reporter

KTF said Thursday that the number of its third-generation (3G) mobile phone service users exceeded 3 million as of Wednesday, 10 months after its launch and less than three months since reaching the 2 million mark.

It is the fastest growth rate among 3G services in the world, the firm said. 3G refers to faster mobile telecommunications systems such as W-CDMA (Wideband Code Divisional Multiple Access), which usually come with various multimedia functions such as video telephony.

KTF made a head start in the 3G race by launching the ``Show'' brand service in March, a month ahead of its rival SK Telecom. With clever promotion strategies and aggressive investment in network systems, the firm has retained an edge in the two-way race. LG Telecom, the smallest of the three carriers in Korea, has yet to start the business.

``Show has become a people's brand,'' Cho Young-chu, CEO of KTF, said in a release. ``By utilizing this year's achievement as a stepping-stone, we will continue to lead the domestic telecommunications market next year. We will also reinforce our overseas businesses to become a global operator.''

KTF is Korea's second largest mobile operator after SK Telecom. The launching of the 3G services this spring sparked renewed rivalry between the two firms. SK Telecom has attracted around 2.2 million users to its 3G service.

The most distinctive feature of the 3G services in South Korea is the video call. Statistics show that this has been welcomed by not only the tech-savvy younger generation but also by older people. While 22.6 percent of Show subscribers were found to be in their 20s, about 35 percent were aged over 40.

KTF also reaped unexpected benefits from the 3G roaming service. The number of people using this has increased by 145 percent from last year and the revenue from roaming fees has almost tripled, it said.

As Korea has used the CDMA platform for second-generation phones, travelers had to use rented phones in countries that use the GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) system. But the 3G phones can overcome such a technical barrier, allowing KTF Show users to use their own handsets in 132 countries.

KTF also said it is considering acquiring or merging with overseas firms next year.

indizio@koreatimes.co.kr