Lotte Himart(071840) is entering the budget phone (MVNO) market.
Lotte Himart said on the 26th it will launch its own mobile plan, "Himart Plan," on the 30th.
As an MVNO plan using the KT(030200) network, it consists of four options ranging from 4,900 won per month (5GB) to 37,900 won (100GB), depending on the data allowance. For customers who buy an unlocked device, the 30GB plan, normally 25,900 won per month, will be offered at 7,900 won per month for the first year after signing up.
The winning move is nationwide offline stores. Budget phone plans are cheap, but subscribers often have to handle everything themselves from buying a SIM to activation and phone setup, which has drawn criticism for creating high entry barriers, especially for middle-aged and older users. Lotte Himart plans to lower this hurdle by having store consultants nationwide support everything from application to activation and initial setup.
Value-added services were also revamped to coincide with the plan launch. The coverage of "Himart Mobile Care," previously centered on damage compensation, is being expanded to loss, theft, battery replacement, financial fraud, and mistaken transfers, and the coverage period will be extended to up to three years. The aim is to bundle not just device sales but also plans, trade-in compensation, and after-sales service to cover the "entire mobile life."