The KT model is introducing a new plan,’Y Uncontracted Plan’. Provided by KT
As the number of self-sufficient phone users who purchase smartphones through open markets and then subscribe to the carrier’s rate plan steadily increases, three telecom companies are introducing plans and services one after another to capture them. In addition to uncontracted rates, damage insurance, replacement programs, and other services that were provided only to customers who purchased a terminal through a telecommunications company are breaking the bar.
◆KT, self-sufficient phone insurance/replacement program
On the 8th, KT announced on the 8th that it will release an online-only plan,’Y-free plan’.
It consists of two types of ‘5G Y uncontracted plan’, which is a 5th generation (5G) mobile communication plan, and’LTE Y uncontracted plan,’ which is an LTE plan. You can sign up through KT Direct, a KT online shopping mall where you can use the non-face-to-face opening service. The 5G Y uncontracted plan provides 200 gigabytes (GB) of data for 55,000 won per month, and the LTE Y uncontracted plan provides 100 GB of data for 45,000 won per month. Both plans allow you to continue writing data within 5 Mbps (megabits per second) as long as you run out of basic data. Until August 31st, if users under the age of 29 subscribe to the plan, a promotion will be offered that gives a discount of 5500 won per month. At the end of this month, it plans to introduce an additional 5G plan that provides 10GB of data for 37,000 won per month.
On the 5th, KT also introduced self-sufficient terminal damage insurance for self-sufficient phone users. Usually, smartphone damage insurance can only be purchased when purchasing a new product. KT introduced this product in light of the fact that there are many self-sufficient phone users who purchase used air planes and subscribe to the rate plan. We provide damage insurance regardless of the smartphone purchase route and usage period. To this end, we developed a solution that can inspect the status of the smartphone in a non-face-to-face manner.
A self-sufficient phone replacement program will also be released on the 27th, allowing customers using self-sufficient phones to use KT’s replacement program. When the terminal is returned after paying a monthly fee for 24 months, up to 40% is compensated. Park Hyun-jin, head of KT’s Customer Strategy Division (Executive Vice President), said, “With this release of the Y-free plan and various insurance services, self-sufficient phone users can use KT more conveniently and reasonably.”
◆ Over 10% of self-sufficient phones
Prior to KT, SK Telecom and LG U+ also introduced an online-only contract-free plan. In January, SK Telecom unveiled 5G Untact 62, which provides unlimited data for 62,000 won per month, and 5G Untact 52, which gives 200 GB for 52,000 won per month. LG U+ also released 5G Direct 51, which offers 150GB for 51,000 won per month, and 5G Direct 37.5, which can use 12GB for 37,000 won per month. In October last year, LG Uplus introduced an additional service, “Phone replacement at your own pace,” which can be replaced up to 2 times for 2 years in case of damage to the mobile phone. Made it possible. SK Telecom also explained, “It will introduce an additional online plan.”
The reason why the three telecommunications companies are introducing services exclusively for self-sufficient phones and uncontracted plans one after another is because the number of self-sufficient phone subscribers is steadily increasing. As illegal subsidies have decreased compared to before, the incentive to purchase smartphones through telecommunications companies has decreased. There are many cases where people who are dissatisfied with the 5G plan use self-contained phones to continue using the LTE plan. According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, the number of self-sufficient phone users increased from 6.89% as of December 2018 to 9.54% in July last year. In the industry, it is expected to have exceeded 10% at present. Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S21, which was launched in January, also accounted for 30% of self-sufficient phone buyers. An official from the telecommunications industry said, “As the self-sufficient phone market grows to a level that cannot be ignored, plans and services to catch them are expected to be released steadily.”
Reporter Seung-Woo Lee [email protected]
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