SK Telecom's digital telecommunications service for unlocked devices, Air, recorded a point usage rate of 96 percent.

SKT said on Wednesday that its "telecom minimalism" strategy, which cuts back on complex plans and add-on services and provides only core functions through digital channels, led to strong customer response.

According to SKT, half of the points used were applied to paying telecom bills. Since raising the monthly payment limit that can be paid with points from August, the amount of points used for bill payments rose more than threefold from the previous month. The remaining points were used in the Air app's point shop. Naver Pay points, Coupang Cash and Baemin exchange vouchers ranked as the top three items purchased in the point shop.

SKT is also running a rate discount promotion to mark the first anniversary of Air's launch. Through Oct. 16, it will offer new subscribers the Air X and Air 100GB plans at monthly rates in the 10,000 won range for 12 months. Air X, which offers unlimited data and YouTube Premium Lite, can be used for 19,999 won a month, down from 58,000 won. The Air 100GB plan, priced at 47,000 won a month, will be offered for 11,111 won a month.

It is also running a prize event for new subscribers to the special-offer plans, offering AirPods, Naver Pay points and Cake exchange vouchers.

For existing Air customers, it will offer an event called "Air Archive: Year One" that allows them to check their usage data. Customers can view their cumulative step count since joining, cumulative points and total points used. If their activity record in October increases from the previous month, they can receive up to 4,000 points, with 1,000 points awarded per category.

Launched in October last year, Air is a digital-only telecommunications service targeting users of unlocked devices. It simplified its plans to six options and is structured so that everything from sign-up to service use can be handled in the app. Another feature is that it offers only core add-on services such as roaming and security.

Its benefits system is integrated into points. Customers can use points provided each month based on their line subscription and points earned by completing missions to pay telecom bills, or exchange them in the point shop for about 1,000 types of mobile gift certificates.

Hyun-chul Koo (구현철), head of Sales & Marketing Division at SKT, said Air presents an alternative to existing telecom services with an app environment tailored to the digital native generation and a simple, intuitive service configuration. He said the company will build competitiveness centered on digital convenience and practical benefits.