LG Uplus announced Wednesday it has released new mobile service plans that provide unlimited voice calls, text messages and data services for the first time in Korea.
At a press conference, the third-largest telecom company said that LG Uplus customers will be able to use Long Term Evolution services without worrying about the bill.
“The new limitless LTE services will help lighten financial burdens for households due to expensive mobile bills,” said Lee Sang-chul, CEO of the company, “LG Uplus will keep contributing to helping the nation become the most advanced IT country.”
LG Uplus CEO Lee Sang-chul (fourth from left) poses with models after a press conference to launch new LTE services allowing subscribers to use unlimited data services. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)
The new mobile service plans, called “LTE8 Limitless 80” and “LTE Limitless 85,” offer unlimited voice calls, text messaging and LTE data services.
Apologizing for causing public concern over reckless subsidies ― for which the nation’s three mobile carriers were penalized ― the CEO emphasized that the mobile carriers should put an end to the so-called subsidy war and focus on providing actual benefits to customers with good mobile services.
The LTE8 Limitless 80 plan will cost subscribers 80,000 won per month, while the LTE Limitless 85 plan offers additional services, including TV streaming services and free cloud storage, for an extra 5,000 won.
New subscribers who opt for a twoyear contract will receive a discount of 18,000 won, according to LG Uplus.
Facing renewed pressure from LG, local rivals SK Telecom and KT followed suit, introducing their own service packages.
LG Uplus executive vice president Ryu Pill-gye, meanwhile, fumed during the press conference about the service launches of the competitors, saying, “Those copycat moves are extremely inappropriate.”
The three major telecom firms were slapped with 45-day business bans in March by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning for handing out illegal subsidies to new customers.
LG Uplus, which is scheduled to temporarily resume operations this Saturday after the first 23 days of the business ban, will finish out the suspension on April 27.
During the suspension period, the company cannot sign up new customers but can replace cellphones that have been used for more than two years or that are out of order.
By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)