5G Subscribers Reach '10 Million Era'... Budget Phones Also Making Strides

5G Service Launched Last April
Nearly 10 Million Users in 1.5 Years
Altteul Phone Also Advances
Mid-to-Low Priced Plans Released Continuously

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] The 5G service, which began in April last year, has reached 10 million subscribers in just a year and a half.

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT's wireless communication service subscriber statistics as of the end of October, the number of 5G subscribers among the three major domestic telecom companies was counted at 9,983,978, approaching 10 million. This is about 740,000 more than the previous month (9,248,865), marking the second-largest increase this year following the approximately 800,000 increase at the end of August. Considering the growth trend, it is certain that 5G subscribers will exceed 10 million in November.

The industry attributes the increase in 5G subscribers to active marketing activities in the second half of this year, led by the iPhone 12, Galaxy Note20, and Galaxy S20 FE. As of the end of October, the number of 5G subscribers by company was SK Telecom 4,608,315, KT 3,039,859, and LG Uplus 2,331,928.

The rapid growth of MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) is also notable. During this period, the increase in MVNO subscribers was 1.61 million, marking three consecutive months of growth. The total number of MVNO subscribers reached 8,981,998, nearing the 9 million mark.

The industry forecasts that the number of 5G subscribers will comfortably surpass 10 million by the end of this year and reach up to 12 million. This is expected as more affordable 5G plans are being launched, broadening the subscriber base. Previously, KT introduced mid-range plans priced between 40,000 and 60,000 KRW, and SK Telecom and LG Uplus have also announced plans to launch affordable 5G plans, which is expected to accelerate subscriber growth.

An industry official said, "With the iPhone 12 lineup being sold exclusively as 5G devices, domestic subscribers have increased significantly, and with the continuous release of mid-range plans, the growth of 5G subscribers will gain momentum."