It was found that 11.5 million people are using LTE plans that are slower than 5G, offer less data, and are more expensive.
Amid criticism of "rip-off plans," the three mobile carriers—SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus—belatedly blocked new subscriptions to LTE plans, but critics say many subscribers are still on the more expensive LTE plans because the companies did not individually notify existing users.
According to "Materials related to LTE plans of the three domestic mobile carriers" that People Power Party lawmaker Choi Su-jin of the Science. ICT. Broadcasting. and Communications Committee received from the Ministry of Science and ICT on the 12th, 134 out of 235 LTE plans (57%) offered by the three carriers were found to be more expensive or less reasonable than 5G plans.
In response, after completing their own review in January–February this year, the three carriers halted new subscriptions to 134 LTE plans and posted notices on their websites to encourage switching to more reasonable 5G plans. However, because no separate guidance was provided to individual subscribers via text messages or billing statements, a significant number of users were confirmed to still be maintaining their existing high-priced plans.
As of the first half of this year, 11.5 million out of 56.93 million total lines subscribed to by the three carriers were LTE users, accounting for 20.2% of the total. The figure fell by only about 1.5 million from 13 million last year. Although more than half of LTE plans have been discontinued, the decline in users has not been large, suggesting many are still paying expensive LTE rates.
By carrier, SK Telecom discontinued and halted new subscriptions to 36 out of 63 LTE plans (52.7%), KT to 46 out of 88 (52.2%), and LG Uplus to 52 out of 84 (61%).
Choi Su-jin said, "The three carriers are only stopping new subscriptions for some high-priced LTE plans and are not individually notifying existing customers who are on the so-called rip-off plans."
She added, "Currently, the carriers are refusing to disclose the status of subscribers to individual plans, citing trade secrets, and the Ministry of Science and ICT is effectively doing nothing regarding proactive user notification. Given this situation, there is a need to prepare active institutional measures to protect consumers."