Here’s a quick primer on 5G if you’re not familiar: Every decade or so, a new mobile networking technology standard is developed to improve upon the older one—4G in this case. 5G’s speed is the primary advantage it has over 4G, which is what allows 5G networks to change the way we live our everyday lives.
South Korea 5G
There are three companies that agreed to bring 5G to South Korea: SK Telecom (SKT), KT, and LG Uplus. The official launch was on December 1, 2018, but it brought 5G to only a few customers. On April 3, 2019, 5G services went live for the general consumer. They could begin connecting to the network on April 5, with the launch of the country’s first 5G phone, the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. SKT 5G access began as a service only for a manufacturing business in Ansan called Myunghwa Industry. Later, the company opened 5G services to other users, too, via various 5G plans, some with unlimited data and others with data caps. SK Telecom started its path to 5G in 2017 with an outdoor 5G trial in Seoul, and shortly after built out 5G technology in their autonomous driving city called K-City. In 2018, their 5G test network enabled two cars to communicate with each other, and in early 2019, made their first live 5G TV broadcast. This 5G rollout marks the end of their 2G services. LG Uplus is live with its unlimited 5G network plans in Seoul and some other nearby locations, and is on their way to wider coverage, having erected over 7,000 5G base stations as early as 2018. Their first 5G customer was LS Mtron. 5G Network for Businesses rolled out in 2020. KT Corporation’s 5G plans are called KT 5G Choice and come in three packages with unlimited data and data roaming in over 180 countries. KT first launched their 5G network at Lotte World Tower in Seoul, and provided 5G coverage for over 80 cities before 2020. Before their 5G rollout, KT and Intel showcased 5G at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. They’ve committed to a $20 billion investment through 2023 to research how to best utilize 5G.
