SK Telecom is moving to expand users of its PC text messaging service, Chatting+ PC.

SKT said on Wednesday it will run a Chatting+ PC version referral and installation event through next month’s 16th.

Chatting+ PC is a PC text messaging service jointly developed by SKT and Samsung Electronics. SKT customers using Samsung Galaxy smartphones running One UI 6.0 or later can send and receive text messages on a PC using their existing mobile phone number, regardless of whether the other party subscribes.

In a survey SKT conducted in June of about 500 Chatting+ PC users, 83.7 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the service. Some 82.9 percent said they used the service an average of at least 5 days a week. Users cited key advantages including writing messages with a keyboard, linking with smartphone messages and using it alongside other PC tasks.

To expand usage, SKT is rolling out a referral and installation event offering prizes worth a total of 20 million won.

The referral event is conducted by sharing a personalised URL issued on the event page with new customers. A referred customer is counted as a referral result when the customer enters the installation event, then completes installing the PC programme and linking a mobile phone.

Customers who refer 15 or more people will receive prizes depending on performance, including the Galaxy Z Fold8, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Naver Pay points mobile coupons. Prizes including Olive Young and GS25 mobile gift certificates and MegaMGC Coffee mobile value vouchers will also be awarded through a draw depending on the number of referrals.

The installation event is open to customers who use Chatting+ PC for the first time after entering the event and completing installation of the PC programme and mobile phone linking. Winners will be selected by draw to receive prizes including a 16-inch Galaxy Book6, a 500,000-won Shinsegae Department Store gift certificate and Olive Young and GS25 mobile gift certificates.

Participants can win both events if they meet the participation requirements for the referral event and the installation event, respectively.

SKT will also expand Chatting+ PC features. As early as the end of this month, SKT plans to add scheduled messages, which allow users to send a text at a desired time, and text style features, which apply formatting such as bold and italics. The new features will be available when the Samsung Galaxy smartphone linked to the PC version supports One UI 9.0 or later.

Kim Ji-hyung (김지형), head of digital platform business at SKT, said, "Chatting+ PC version is a service that extends to the PC a text messaging experience that customers are familiar with," and added, "We will continue to strengthen convenience and value that customers can feel in everyday life."