3 Posts about 'mobile data service'
iPhone is a driving force to increase the adoption rate of smartphone. :: 2010/02/04 14:37
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iPhone became a hot trendy item for young Korean people. Since KT launched iPhone in the Korean market, around 300,000 people bought this hot item. iPhone is making many changes in using mobile services. For instance, people who bought iPhone subscribed the data price plan very naturally. Also, many people began using various data-based mobile services such as mobile twitter in every place, including street and subway.
Among many changes, I think the most important thing is that iPhone became a key driver to increase the adoption rate of smartphone in the Korea's market. As well as iPhone, Samsung also sold Omnia 2 to around 300,000 people. Also, SK Telecom officially releases the first Android smartphone on 5th Feb and announced to release around 10 smartphone this year.
Smartphone does not mean only the change of the handset feature. The increased adoption of smartphone will make the change of the usage pattern for mobile services. Before the launch of iPhone, usual Korean people were reluctant about subscribing the mobile data plan seperately and usual retail channels push the plan intetionally when selling handsets. This point was the biggest barrier that mobile data service market could grow. Currently, the change is starting in this advanced mobile market.
I will post the further changes which will be made by smartphone including iPhone and Android phone.
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Transformation of Popular Web-Portal for Mobile Service :: 2008/05/09 20:07
As I mentioned, full browsing service for mobile internet is attracting many korean users after LGT launched OZ service. Full browsing service enables many users to connect to usual web pages with mobile handsets. However, some guys point out that, because usual Korean portal put too many contents including picture and text on an independant web page, usual web pages are not proper for mobile service.
Thus, popular web-portals started to transform their service for mobile service. Naver, the biggest korean portal, has already provided the simple edition of its initial page. The simple edition of Naver looks like the initial page of Google. The initial page of Naver SE excludes unnecessary pictures and text and includes just only a blank input box for search like Google. It is very effective and efficient for mobile web browsing service.
Naver Simple Edition
Original Naver
Another popular portal, Daum is also preparing for a new simple web page for mobile service. Daum announced that it will launch a simple service including popular contents for mobile service in May. I think these transformations of popular web-portals are very positive signals for expanding mobile data service in Korea.
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LGT's Full Browsing Service (OZ) as a Killer App of 3G :: 2008/04/15 18:09
LG Telecom launched a full browsing service using EV-DO Rev.A. Even if about 10 days have passed after LG Telecom launched this service in 4th April, LG Telecom attracted new 4,000 subscribers a day on average.
There are two barriers preventing the expansion of mobile data service on handset.
The first one is data traffic price. If someone wants to use data service with handset, he usually has paid about $25 per month. However, LG Telecom started to provide data service at an affordable price of $6 per month. It is by far the cheapest data service option for user of mobile data service in Korea.
The second one is the walled garden policy of korean mobile operators. Mobile internet services in Korea are usually provided in a closed portal of each operator. (SK Telecom : Nate / KTF : Magic N / LG Telecom : Ez i) In this environment, the limited services like ring back tone and ringtone have gotten popularity. Although Korean government and many internet portals including Naver and Yahoo have pushed mobile operators to open their mobile internet service, they have kept the closed services. LG Telecom started to attack other operators through opening data service with full browsing service and users are welcoming the change of mobile data service.
Since last year, SK Telecom and KTF have been investing to establish the WCDMA service allowing video calling services and spending their efforts in order to make this service as a killer app of 3G. However, the full browsing service is more possible to become a killer app of 3G.
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