By Yoon Ja-young
KT, the country’s largest communications company, will stop second-generation (2G) mobile services from Jan. 3 to free up bandwidth for its fourth-generation (4G) long-term evolution (LTE) service, following a court decision backing the move Monday.
The Seoul High Court dismissed a request filed by 2G users that it ban KT from halting the service, reversing a lower court’s ruling. “The users’ demand could hinder efficient use of radio wave resources deemed public goods,” the court decision said.
KT got approval from the Korea Communications Commission to stop the 2G service when it pulled down the number of users to around 100,000. Its competitors, SK Telecom and LG Uplus, have been actively promoting the increasingly popular, high-speed LTE service, which offers download speeds up to five times faster than 3G, since July. KT couldn’t do so as it dropped out of the bandwidth auction when the price soared to over 1 trillion won. Instead, it planned to use the 2G bandwidth for LTE.
It offered diverse programs to induce 2G users to convert to 3G services or even switch to other mobile carriers, offering subsidies and new phones. The number fell to around 100,000, less than 1 percent of KT’s total subscribers.
However, it met an unexpected obstacle at a lower court, when about 900 2G users demanded that the court suspend the telecommunication regulator’s approval. KT immediately appealed, and the upper court supported the mobile carrier.
“We think the decision by the Seoul Higher Court will encourage effective use of the bandwidth, which is a national asset, and investment in the next-generation network. It will help provide quality services for consumers and boost development of the local IT industry,” KT said in an announcement.
It added that it would try to minimize inconveniences for 2G users who haven’t switched to 3G services yet. It plans to suspend services step by step, starting from Seoul on Jan. 3. The 2G users can borrow 3G phone for free, and KT employees will visit those who wish to switch to 3G services to minimize the inconvenience of the subscription process.