Park Wan-joo "5G 3.5GHz Base Stations Concentrated 44% in the Seoul Metropolitan Area"

Urging Active Role Performance from the Korea Communications Commission

Assemblyman Park Wanju

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] It has been revealed that 44% of the 5G 3.5 GHz base stations nationwide are concentrated in the Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi metropolitan areas.

According to the 'Status of 5G 3.5 GHz Base Station Deployment by City and Province' data submitted by the Ministry of Science and ICT to the office of National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee member Park Wan-joo on the 5th, 44% of the total base stations were installed in the Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi metropolitan areas.

In particular, considering that one 3.5 GHz base station can cover an outdoor area with a radius of 1.3 to 1.4 km², a comparison of the required number of base stations by city and province area showed that the three telecom companies overbuilt by about 85 times in the Seoul area alone, but Gyeongbuk, Gangwon, and Jeonnam fell short of even the minimum required number of base stations (1 time) relative to their area. In other regions, Chungnam was built at 1.2 times, Jeonbuk at 1.4 times, and Chungbuk at 1.5 times, barely meeting the minimum requirements.

The status of 28 GHz base station deployment was found to be even more severe. SKT and KT installed 96% of their total devices in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon, while LG Uplus installed 59% relatively regionally. This is why they are not free from criticism for concentrating 5G deployment only in the metropolitan area.

Assemblyman Park Wan-joo stated, “In fact, users living in rural areas are paying expensive plans without being able to properly use 5G services,” and added, “This is clearly an act by the three telecom companies that infringes on consumer rights.”

He continued, “Article 42 of the Enforcement Decree of the Telecommunications Business Act stipulates that if users' interests are harmed or unfairly high usage fees are maintained, the Korea Communications Commission should take corrective measures or prepare countermeasures through telecommunications dispute mediation,” urging the Korea Communications Commission to actively address the unreasonable 5G plans of the three telecom companies.