Pre-orders open on the 27th, early activation starts on the 6th
Double Storage Benefit for pre-order customers
With the unveiling of Samsung Electronics' latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S26 series, the three major mobile carriers are all launching pre-order campaigns. Each carrier is rolling out promotions tailored to its own strengths to attract customers.
Customers who pre-order the Galaxy S26 series can begin activating their devices from March 6, and the official launch date is March 11. After the early activation date, customers will be able to purchase and activate the devices without a reservation.
Regardless of which mobile carrier they subscribe to, pre-order customers can use Samsung Electronics' "Double Storage Benefit" to purchase the 512GB model at the price of the 256GB model when they pre-order the 512GB version.
In addition, customers who purchase in March will receive a 10% discount coupon for the Galaxy Buds4 series and five 30% discount coupons for cases and accessories, all usable in the Samsung.com app. As content partnership benefits, they will also receive a three-month Welaa subscription and eight special themes for popular games on the Galaxy Store.
Customers who purchase the Galaxy S26 Ultra will receive an additional 30% discount coupon for a 60W charger, also usable in the Samsung.com app.
SK Telecom: OTT and other benefits for activation customers, plus experiential perks via lottery
First, SK Telecom will offer up to 150,000 won in additional compensation on a first-come, first-served basis to the first 3,000 customers who trade in their existing phones through its official online mall, T Direct Shop. Through a credit card cashback promotion, customers who pre-order and purchase with a Samsung Card will receive up to 100,000 won in cash back, limited to the first 500 customers.
In addition, T Direct Shop will provide pre-order activation customers with benefits such as a 30,000 won T Gift Card (selectable among Olive Young, Kurly, and Daiso), a 30,000 won T Direct Shop coupon for adding the KakaoTalk channel, a 50,000 won coupon for the National Heritage Center’s online traditional culture theme shop (awarded to 2,000 customers by lottery), and a 50,000 won discount on the Galaxy Watch8 series (awarded to 400 customers by lottery).
It is also offering benefits through the "New Galaxy AI Subscription Club with T Phone Upgrade" program. If Galaxy S26 Ultra pre-order customers enroll in this program by March, SK Telecom will waive the entire 120,000 won in usage fees for 24 months (5,000 won per month), and if they change devices after two years and return their existing handset, they will receive an additional 200,000 OK Cashback points.
Furthermore, including pre-order customers, all customers who complete activation of a Galaxy S26 series device by March 31 will receive the "Club Galaxy S26" package, which offers online video service (OTT) and everyday benefits. Eligible customers can check and use all benefits via the "Club Galaxy S26" menu in the T Membership app, and can use them for two months from March through April.
Customers can also enjoy experiential benefits through a lottery. Among early-activation customers, SK Telecom will draw winners for tickets to "Chuncheon Marathon 2026," "Pokemon Run 2026 in Seoul," and "Seoul Jazz Festival 2026." It will also provide dining vouchers worth 200,000 won each to a total of 100 people for "CONGDU50" (scheduled to open in Yeouido), run by master chef Park Hyonam who appeared in the Netflix show "Chef's Table: BBQ," and for "Kojacha," a restaurant by Michelin one-star chef Choi Yugang.
Korea Telecom: "One More Device" perks and launch of the S26 Ultra 1TB model
Korea Telecom will exclusively launch the "Galaxy S26 Ultra 1TB" model through its official online mall, KT.com. For customers subscribing to plans with a monthly fee of 69,000 won or more, it will run a limited-quantity "Storage UP" event that offers the 1TB model at the price of the 512GB model.
KT.com will also provide an additional discount equal to 7% of the monthly fee (up to 218,000 won) for customers subscribing to a 5G plan, and for immediate payments made with Shinhan, Samsung, BC, or Hana cards, customers can receive up to 100,000 won in cashback or choose 12-month interest-free installments.
It is also introducing a "One More Device" benefit linked to rate plans. Until April 30, customers who choose "Samsung Choice" can receive Galaxy Buds3 Pro (white); those who choose "Device Choice" can receive Shokz’s open-ear earphones "OpenDot One" and Garmin’s running smartwatch "Forerunner 165"; and those who choose "Appliance Subscription Choice" can use a Samsung 32-inch Moving Style TV or a 55-inch UHD TV at a 100% discounted price.
Korea Telecom is also introducing a new upgrade program. "New Galaxy AI Subscription Club with 245 Phone Change" is a service that allows customers to receive up to 50% of the device price back when they purchase a new phone after two years and return their existing device.
LG Uplus: Official mall coupons and "Google One" with access to Gemini
LG Uplus is running various promotions through the U+ Official Online Store. Customers who pre-order online can receive coupons worth up to 200,000 won that can be used when purchasing and activating a Galaxy S26 series device. If they pay with a Samsung Card after pre-ordering, they can also receive up to 24 months of interest-free installments and a cashback benefit of 100,000 won. Customers who trade in their existing phones and purchase a Galaxy S26 series device will receive up to an additional 200,000 won on top of the standard trade-in value.
LG Uplus is also offering the "Google One Pack," which provides access to Google’s AI service Gemini 3 and up to 2TB of storage, and the "New Galaxy AI Subscription Club with Reward Pass," under which customers who return their devices after use will be compensated up to 50% of the original launch price at the time of subscription, regardless of the secondhand market price.
The Google One Pack is a rate plan that allows customers to use "Google AI Pro" (29,000 won per month), which LG Uplus was the first carrier in Korea to launch. In addition to Gemini 3 and 2TB of storage, it provides access to Google’s AI features and models, including Nano Banana Pro.
LG Uplus is also offering the "New Galaxy AI Subscription Club with Reward Pass," which can help reduce the device purchase burden for Galaxy S26 series buyers. Under this service, if customers return their devices after a subscription period of two or three years, as chosen at sign-up, they will be compensated up to 50% of the original launch price at the time of subscription, regardless of the secondhand market price. LG Uplus is the only carrier that allows customers to set a three-year subscription period.
In addition, LG Uplus is operating an online-only "Miri Dream" service that customers can use after pre-ordering the Galaxy S26 series and before activation.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.





