Roaming Better Than 'Hyeonji USIM'? Shared Roaming Plans Gain Popularity

SKT 'Gajok Roaming' Users Reach 70,000 in One Month
KT 'Data Hamkke ON' Roaming Customers Account for 70%
Roaming Usage Rate Higher Than Local SIM Cards

As the peak summer vacation season begins, roaming plans that can be used with family or acquaintances are gaining popularity. Travelers who used to purchase so-called 'local SIM cards (chips containing subscriber phone numbers)' for cost-effectiveness are now turning back to roaming.

SKT's 'Family Roaming' has become popular, surpassing 70,000 users in just one month (Photo by SKT)

Since its launch in June, SK Telecom's 'Family Roaming' product has surpassed 30,000 households and 70,000 users within just one month. If only one family member subscribes to the 'Baro' plan, up to five people can share data together. It only costs an additional 3,000 KRW on top of the existing plan. For example, in a family of three, if one person pays 42,000 KRW, 6GB of data can be shared among the three members. This means the cost per person is about 14,000 KRW. Besides the 6GB plan, there are three other detailed plans: 3GB (32,000 KRW), 12GB (62,000 KRW), and 24GB (82,000 KRW). The usage period is 30 days.

So far, telecom companies' roaming services have been criticized for being too expensive. Many travelers used local SIM cards purchased directly at their destination to use data, as they offer excellent cost-effectiveness, with nearly 10GB available for around 10,000 KRW. According to 2019 data from Consumer Insight, a consumer research specialist organization, 26.7% of overseas travelers used SIM cards, which was higher than roaming at 24%. However, last year, roaming overtook SIM cards with 36.1% compared to 33.8%. This is thanks to various roaming plans and promotions introduced by telecom companies.

KT also operates the 'Data Together ON' plan, which allows up to three people, including the subscriber, to share data. A notable feature is that roaming services can be shared with all acquaintances, including family. About 70% of KT customers using roaming overseas subscribe to this plan. The plans are broadly divided into two regions: Asia-Americas (45 countries) and Global (118 countries). For Asia-Americas, 4GB costs 33,000 KRW, and 8GB costs 44,000 KRW, which is similar to SKT. If three people split the cost, each can enjoy roaming services for around 10,000 KRW.

LG Uplus does not offer shared roaming plans. Instead, it provides roaming charges at 'half price' for customers in their 20s. The original daily rate of 13,200 KRW (based on 4GB) is cut in half. From a price perspective, using a SIM card is still better. However, considering that SIM cards must be purchased and physically inserted into the smartphone, and that you cannot make or receive calls on your own number, roaming is more convenient. As roaming, which accounts for 2-4% of telecom companies' wireless revenue, gains popularity, it is expected to contribute to telecom companies' performance in the second half of the year.

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