iPhone Reception Issues Controversy... LG Uplus to Open Dedicated Consultation Center

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] As the call drop issue with Apple iPhones persists even after the operating system (OS) update, LG Uplus has decided to open a dedicated consultation window.

According to industry sources on the 2nd, complaints from LG Uplus users about call drop issues on the iPhone 13 continue to be raised on online communities. A netizen who identified as an iPhone 13 user said, "My husband and child keep asking why I don't answer their calls, and my boss at work also asked why I keep avoiding his calls. I just sigh while looking at my phone that doesn't ring even when they call me right in front of me."

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, LG Uplus will set up a dedicated consultation center this week. LG Uplus explained, "As soon as we became aware of the issue, we informed Apple and Qualcomm and requested improvements. Regardless of the manufacturers' actions, we will open a dedicated consultation window this week to minimize consumer inconvenience until the problem is resolved."

Earlier, on the 12th of last month, Apple released iOS 15.1.1, an update version of iOS 15.1, to improve call drop issues on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12, but similar problems continued to occur. Users of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 series experienced situations where their phones did not ring even when receiving calls from others, and the caller was shown as missed or received a message saying "Cannot answer the call," resulting in failed calls.

However, LG Uplus stated that this issue is not limited to a specific carrier or domestic situation. The company said, "Reception problems are occurring intermittently on some devices regardless of the carrier," and "They have been found not only domestically but also overseas." On the other hand, SK Telecom and KT have drawn a line by stating that they have not received similar customer complaints related to iPhones.

An industry insider said, "Usually, with iPhone series, many such issues occur initially and then gradually get resolved," but added, "This time, it seems unusual that the problem is limited to LG Uplus."