Telecom Lead Asia: SK Telecom is stepping up pressure on competition through new 4G / LTE offerings at cost effective rates.
SK Telecom will introduce ‘T&T Sharing’ plans for both 3G and LTE subscribers.
The new offering is available in seven different price types.
South Koreans telecom operators say they make an additional ARPU of around $13 from 4G / LTE. Bharti Airtel’s ARPU — from three Indian cities of Bangalore, Kolkata and Pune with around 20,000 users — is around $20. Airtel feels LTE ARPU will grow substantially. Airtel’s ARPU from 2G is less than $3.
SK Telecom, which has 50 percent of market share, claims that its T&T Sharing plans will give customers unlimited intra-network voice calls as well as unlimited intra-network and inter-network texting. More than 50 percent of the total number of calls made are intra-network calls.
The company also lowered cost for its existing LTE Shareable Data plans. Under the revised plan, customers will be able to add one data-only device to use the same data pool for free.
LTE Shareable Data plan will now become free for LTE customers who add one data-only device to share the same data pool. Data-only devices eligible for the sharable data plan include all mobile devices with 3G/LTE USIM such as tablet PC, laptop, and digital camera. Customers can also add more data-only devices for KRW 9,000 for each under the LTE Shareable Data plan.
The new plan allows SK Telecom subscribers to use mobile VoIP (m-VoIP) services. Previously, the company only gave m-VoIP data allowances to customers of higher price plans (LTE 52 Plan and above).
Park In-sik, president of Network Operations Business, said, “SK Telecom will continue to develop and launch innovative smartphone price plans to move away from the fierce competition focused solely on heavy mobile subsidies.”
SK Telecom and its competition KT Corp are struggling to make money on the 4G / LTE technology 18 months after launch.
