Mobile in Korea

  NateOn is an instant messenger which has attracted the most users in Korea. In Korea, an average of 10 mil people use NateOn a day. (An average of 3 mil people use MSN a day in Korea.) NateOn is not a simple intant messenger but a constantly evolved messenger. NateOn is providing various additional function such as linkage between chat window and cyworld homepage of each user, keyword chatting and online radio service which provides public radio services on NateOn. Although the main function is 'chatting with a friend', people use NateOn in order to enjoy the other various functions.

  Today, I will introduce a kind of NateOn functions, 'SMS service on NateOn'. If a guy registers his mobile phone number on NateOn, he can get message through NateOn messenger simultaneously when he gets the message on handset. If a message arrives in an user's handset when the user logs in NateOn messenger, a new window which resembles a chatting window of instant messenger is activated and the message is displayed in the window. The user also send a new message to the sender on the activated window. It is very convinient to use a SMS service because it is very annoying to input a message with handset keypad. Many office workers usually sit in front of laptop during working hour and use an instant messenger such as NateOn. The service makes these workers use SMS service easily and conveniently.

  It is very convenient service, however you must be careful with the service. If you do not recognize that the service is not free ($0.02 for a message), you might see a surprising bill after a month. Because you send a message using NateOn more easily than usual handset, the amount of messages that you send for a month might increase surprisingly. The service must be a catalyst for growth of SMS usage.