SK Telecom recently announced that its 5G milestones achieved over the past year since launching the world’s first 5G service on April 3, 2019, along with its plans going forward.
According to the Korean Ministry of Science and ICT released in January 2020, SK Telecom has established itself as the leader in the 5G market with around 2.22 million subscribers and 44.7% market share. SK Telecom claims that it has increased customers’ 5G experience and acceptance by creating around 70 5G Clusters in key commercial districts and densely populated areas throughout the nation.
According to SK Telecom’s analysis on 5G subscribers, people in their 30s and 40s are taking up 53% of the company’s total 5G subscriber base, which is significantly higher than the proportion of people in their 30s and 40s in total LTE subscriber base, which currently stands at 32%.
The total amount of data consumption of SK Telecom’s 5G subscribers reached 62,000 TB on average per month over the past three months (Dec. 2019 ~ Feb. 2020). During the same period, the average monthly data usage of subscribers who switched devices from LTE to 5G has increased about twofold from 14.5 GB (LTE) to 28.5 GB (5G) per person.
In 2020, SK Telecom will bring the total number of its 5G Clusters to 240 and expand 5G coverage to neighborhoods (‘dong’) of 85 cities nationwide by working closely with telecommunications equipment manufacturers. The company will also secure indoor coverage for a total of 2,000 buildings, including not just airports, department stores and large shopping malls but also small-to medium-sized buildings, by applying its sophisticated 5G in-building solutions.
Ryu Young-sang, VP and Head of MNO Business, SK Telecom
SK Telecom was able to secure new business opportunities ahead of others by achieving the world’s first 5G commercialization. We are confident that the 5G business models to be launched this year will drive the company’s growth over the next decade.
