One day ahead of Wednesday’s presidential election, the nation’s three major mobile carriers stepped up intensive mobile traffic control on Tuesday to prevent possible data traffic surges and cyberterrorism.

KT, SK Telecom and LG Uplus expect that mobile traffic may be overloaded on election day, as the use of mobile social networking services will likely soar as people use smartphones to check out real-time ballot counts and election results.

Their election protection plans include expanding the mobile network and dispatching mobile base stations on wheels.

Precautions to block possible technology-based political terrorism and other harmful traffic are also among the top priorities, the three mobile service operators said.

KT designated Dec. 18 to 20 a high-alert communications period, and dispatched about 2,000 employees to monitor the flow of mobile traffic 24 hours a day.

KT said the company has successfully gone through an eight-day test drill against a massive-scale DDoS virus attack that makes network resources unavailable.

Having organized an emergency restoration team for its base stations, KT also plans to send six security experts to the National Election Commission to prepare for possible cyber attacks.

SK Telecom organized a group of specialists and additional emergency offices to cope with unfavorable eventualities on the election day, including overloaded mobile traffic, network disturbances, and power outages.

The company secured an additional 133 channel cards and 36 channels in the regions that are expected to have a massive increase in mobile traffic.

LG Uplus finished check-ups on its third-generation telecommunication network and expanded its Long Term Evolution network in the regions where mobile service usage is expected to soar on the election day.

LG Uplus moved up regular check-ups and outburst prevention plans by about a week, which usually take place at the end of every year.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)