(LEAD) KT unveils 5G smartphone pricing plan

(ATTN: UPDATES with more comments in paras 7-11)
By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, April 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean telecom firm KT Corp. on Tuesday introduced its mobile data plan for 5G smartphones, hoping to attract customers with wide coverage and a range of content.

KT, the nation's second-largest mobile carrier, launched three 5G mobile with free international roaming data in South Korea and 185 countries.

Except for a "slim" 5G plan priced at 55,000 won, KT's 5G packages ranging from 80,000 won to 130,000 won offer unlimited data as well as free voice calls and text messages.

The basic 5G plan offers 20 GB data for connecting smart devices and tethering, while special and premium package provide 50 GB and 100 GB for sharing data with other devices, respectively, the company said.

KT said it will offer a 360-degree media service as well as e-sports and high-quality music content to maximize the user experience with the help of the ultra-fast, low-latency network.

The carrier said it will have about 30,000 network stations across the nation to launch its commercial 5G service by the time Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy S10 5G goes on sale Friday.

KT said it will focus on creating various business opportunities in industrial sectors by providing a platform for innovative services and solutions.

"We expect B2B (business-to-business) sales to create about twice the current sales (from 5G)," Lee Pil-jae, a vice president at KT, said in a press briefing. "We will put all services on one platform."

KT said it expects 5G users will account for over 10 percent of its smartphone customers by the end of this year, hoping to cash in from the new service as early as the third quarter.

The telecom has collaborated with Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., the world's largest shipbuilder, to integrate its 5G network to improve security and better coordinate the manufacturing process.

The company also developed a 5G smart factory based on machine vision, which allows for automatic inspections and analyses based on images, increasing productivity in labor-intensive work.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
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