[기자회견] Report forcing the 3 mobile carriers to join the latest 5G terminal. -People’s Life Hope Headquarters

<2021.01.11. 이통3사의 최신 단말기 5G 가입 강요행위 공정거래위원회 신고 기자회견.  사진=참여연대>

5G exclusive phone that can only be subscribed to a 5G plan when purchasing a 3 mobile phone agency

I don’t want to use 5G, but in order to use the latest mobile phone, I can only sign up for a 5G plan.

The Participation Solidarity criticized the fact that the three mobile carriers had commercialized 5G services based on their market dominant position with a market share of 90%, and forced the subscription to the 5G plan by releasing the latest high-end terminals exclusively for 5G. Under the Transactions Act」, unfair product sales and control activities that abuse market dominant status and significant consumer profit hindering (Article 3-2 (1) 2 and 5) and unfair joint behavior (Article 19 (1) of the same Act) Violation of No. 6) and abuse of unfair trade status (violation of Article 23, Paragraph 1, No. 4 of the same Act) to the Fair Trade Commission.

It is only its own policy to expand the profits of market dominant business operators, overseas is possible

Korea’s mobile telecommunications market has maintained the monopoly of three telecommunications companies for over 20 years, and the three telecommunications carriers are key telecommunications companies occupying about 90% of the Korean telecommunications market. The key telecommunications business is difficult to register and requires enormous initial capital, so it is almost impossible for new companies to enter the business. Due to the nature of the telecommunications business, it is difficult to compete with foreign operators, so consumers’ right to choose is infringed. It happens often. Unlike other industrial fields such as automobiles and industrial products, mobile communication services have a strong character as a public service based on’frequency’, a public asset of all citizens, and are a basic service that is the basis of other industries such as electricity, water and gas. It is a necessity for people’s life. However, even though 5G has problems such as communication instability and high cost, people have no choice but to use the 5G plan to use the latest high-end phones. Since August 20, last year, if you subscribe on a self-sufficient basis, you can subscribe to LTE with the same terminal, so even though it is not technically impossible, the three mobile operators are maintaining this policy to maximize their profits. Such an act violates the market dominant position in the latter part of Article 3-2 (1) 2 and 5 of the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act, and in violation of Article 19 (1) 6 of the same Act. Since it can be seen as a violation of Paragraph 1, Paragraph 4, it is investigated if this is a violation of the Fair Trade Act, and if illegality is found, severe fines will be disposed to the 3 mobile communication companies, and between the terminal and the LTE 5G service. We urge you to guarantee free choice.

The FTC and the Ministry of Science and Technology should guarantee consumers’ free choice between LTE and 5G

5G has not solved any problems that have been raised since commercialization.

Today’s press conference topic, including compulsory subscription to the latest terminal 5G plan, should be systematically compensated for △5G non-communication damage. It’s still going on. They need to be corrected as soon as possible, and they must make active efforts to improve communication publicity and create a transparent distribution structure by introducing a universal rate system and separate disclosure system. In particular, as the Telecommunications Business Act stipulates that the rates of mobile communication service must be determined reasonably so that users can receive it fairly and inexpensively, the three mobile communication companies can enhance publicity by fulfilling their roles and obligations as key communication service providers rather than corporate interests. I hope there is.