Countdown to Shutdown Declaration... LGU+ Prepares for 2G Termination

Scheduled to Apply for 2G Termination Approval from Ministry of Science and ICT This Month
Preparing for Swift Termination Before June Frequency Return
Decision Made Considering User Protection Measures and Equipment Aging

SK Telecom's 2G service using the mobile phone prefixes 011 and 017 ended at midnight on the 27th. It has been 25 years since SK Telecom started its 2G service. A related notice is posted at an SKT store in downtown Seoul. Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] LG Uplus is accelerating the termination of its 2G service. This is to declare the end of 2G service and transition remaining subscribers to LTE lines ahead of the government's 2G frequency recall scheduled for June next year.

According to industry sources on the 28th, LG Uplus plans to submit an application to the Ministry of Science and ICT for 2G termination within this year and declare the end of 2G service. Under the Telecommunications Business Act, approval from the Minister of Science and ICT is required to terminate 2G service, and users must be notified at least 60 days before the scheduled termination date. Once LG Uplus declares the end of 2G service, no new subscriptions will be accepted.

As of the end of October, LG Uplus had 390,000 2G subscribers, about 2.6% of its total 15 million subscribers. Excluding corporate customers, the estimated number of individual customers is about 150,000, or 1%. Considering that KT and SK Telecom, which previously ended their 2G services, received approval from the Ministry of Science and ICT when remaining subscribers were around 1%, it is expected that it will take some time for LG Uplus to obtain approval for 2G termination.

However, LG Uplus notes that about two-thirds of its 2G subscribers are corporate customers, and since many use M2M (Machine to Machine) devices installed for remote metering and control, it is believed that a bulk transition can be achieved through consultations with these companies.

LG Uplus stated, "Since 2G equipment is aging, no new devices are being released, and the number of subscribers is minimal, we believe it is necessary to declare the end of 2G service quickly to enhance user welfare. We are currently negotiating benefits for existing customers and preparing to terminate the service even before June."

The government plans to decide the timing of the 2G termination considering user protection measures, equipment aging, and other factors. Previously, SK Telecom proposed compensation plans including a device purchase subsidy of 300,000 KRW, a 10,000 KRW discount on monthly fees for 24 months, and a 70% discount on monthly fees for 24 months. SK Telecom allowed users to keep their existing numbers until June next year, but LG Uplus must return its frequency by June at the latest, meaning users with existing 2G 01X numbers will no longer be able to use their current numbers starting in June.

A Ministry of Science and ICT official said, "Although LG Uplus has not yet submitted its 2G termination application, user protection measures will be the most important criterion since users will need to change their numbers or systems. While LG Uplus's equipment aging is relatively less severe, this requires proof from the operator, and decisions will be made considering all requirements including frequency-related decisions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.