South Korea counts 15 million smartphone users

13 July 2011South Korea counts 15 million smartphone users The number of smartphone subscribers in South Korea hit 15 million this week, according to data from the country's three mobile operators released Wednesday.

South Korean smartphone subscribers numbered 15.35 million as of Monday, including 7.8 million users at the industry leader SK Telecom, 5.45 million at KT Corp. and 2.1 million at LG Uplus Corp., the mobile carriers said.

The country reached the milestone less than four months after the number of users passed 10 million in late March, highlighting a recent spike in smartphone adoption.
It took roughly 17 months to hit the 10 million mark.

The Apple iPhone's arrival in the country at the end of 2009 kick-started South Korea's smartphone market.
Although introduced slowly, the smartphone caught on nationwide at a faster clip than in most other countries.

The data also showed that the market for the feature-packed, handheld computing devices is the fastest growing segment in the country's saturated wireless market, which is estimated at about 52 million users.

On the back of the robust demand, mobile operators are confident about meeting their smartphone subscriber targets by the end of the year.

SK Telecom aims to lure a total of 10 million smartphone users by December, while LG Uplus seeks to add another 0.9 million.
KT, the No. 2 mobile carrier and the dominant fixed-line operator, revised up its year-end target by 30% to 8.5 million.

Based on mobile operators' forecasts, the number of smartphone users in South Korea will likely hit 20 million at the end of this year, accounting for about 40% of the overall wireless market.

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Verizon abusing Data users

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06-24-2011, 04:20 PM Device Model: 9630(Tour) --> 9650(Bold) Verizon abusing Data users So I have been a Verizon user for 11 years, I have stayed loyal due to their "Customer Service" and always making a wrong a right. However, now they have gone too far with my business's unlimited data plan.

I go to Europe 3x a year for 1-2 months at a time, I switch to their international unlimited data plan and tend to consumer 140+ MB as I use google maps for directions and BBM / Whatsapp. Now however it costs,
$100 for 70mb. That is INSANE, I have no other recourse other than to end my contract with Verizon or find another provider in the meantime. Of course I am not happy to do this. However, I do not want to get royally screwed when I am traveling with a $400 bill.

What are you guys doing while you are away, what are you going to do. The only way I see is for me to cancel my account and stick it where it hurts. Unfortunately, we all know VZA most likely does not care and will just continue what they are doing regardless of what we say.

06-25-2011, 04:27 PM Device Model: 9630(Tour) --> 9650(Bold) Originally Posted by Artemis68 I've always used local sims. Take a gsm phone with you and get a local sim. I get one with unlimited data but next to none of anything else since I won't use it. It ends up being really cheap.

Sent from my VZW Thunderbolt.

Who do you usually use. Motorcycle Mama Just curious as to why one would expect their US phone service provider to provide them with a "economical" data solution in another country. You make absolutely no sense. This argument is flawed, for if I were to walk in a store and say, hey I need to buy your product and would like to secure an upgrade for international service the first week in July. Should I do that now or then. My reply is, "Don't worry just come back 2 weeks before you go we can do that plan for you no problem."

Then you come back and are told, "Sorry you need to pay $100 for 70mb..." Am I wrong to expect for their word to be honored?

06-26-2011, 10:57 AM Location: Upstate NY for home - PA for college I normally go to the UK so my favourite carrier to use there is tmobile UK. I can get a free SIM for 10 pounds that comes with 60 international minutes that I can use to call back home. Add another 5 pounds or so, and I have unlimited data for a month. I use GV for texting back home.

Awesome deal, IMO.

Sent from my VZW Thunderbolt.

__________________
For the Stalkers.
"If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry." -Emily Dickinson 06-29-2011, 06:35 PM Just get a second GSM phone with a local data plan. You should find something fairly cheap - and you will have a second phone as a backup. That's what I do (even as I have unlocked my Verizon BB).

You can buy a 7" tablet for that as well, works nicer for navigation as well. I wonder if you can tether a playbook from some cheap used local blackberry.

Last edited by Karamba; 06-29-2011 at 06:38 PM.



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Mobile payments users to grow by 40% to reach 2.5 billion globally by 2015

A new report by analyst firm Juniper Research forecasts that the number of mobile phone users making payments for digital goods will reach 2.5 billion worldwide by 2015, up from 1.8bn forecast for 2011. This represents a growth of 40%.

Mobile tickets for transport and entertainment were found to be two of the key sectors influencing growth although new service and application adoption will also be very important.

Senior analyst David Snow gave more details: “Whilst the mobile payments sector offers substantial growth opportunities, it needs to be seen by innovative players as a platform from which to develop new value added applications and services such as personalised mobile coupons, loyalty schemes, and novel augmented reality offerings.”

However, the Juniper report also warned that fraud levels with certain types of payments such as PSMS and direct billing are on the increase with mobile security becoming a key issue in the not too distant future.

Further key research from the Mobile Payments for Digital & Physical Goods report shows:

• The Far East & China region will be the largest, accounting for nearly 30% of the total by 2015;

• The Indian Sub-Continent is forecast to exceed 400 million users by 2015.

The report uses an innovative new approach to compare the positioning of some 17 mobile payments vendors. These vendors are also profiled in the report, enabling the reader to identify and compare their strategies. In depth market forecasts provide detailed five year regional data for mobile digital & physical goods payments, showing key parameters including subscriber take-up, transaction sizes and volumes. The report also reveals the strategies that are being used to enable users to pay by mobile through case studies from companies such as Virgin Media and Badoo.

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