SK Telecom is introducing a free add-on service that blocks roaming connections in countries customers do not want in advance.

SKT said on Oct. 22 it launched 'T Roaming Safe Countries,' which allows users to set roaming coverage by country.

T Roaming Safe Countries checks whether roaming is allowed in a country when a customer first tries to connect to an overseas mobile network. It blocks the connection in countries that are not allowed. SKT said it is the first among domestic mobile carriers to launch a service that restricts roaming connections by country at the overseas network access stage.

SKT plans to strengthen its security system by adding the service to its existing Fraud Detection System (FDS). FDS detects and blocks anomalous signs in real time that occur at home and abroad.

The service is available in two types: automatic and manual. The automatic type analyses whether the customer visited an airport before departure and overseas network access information when the customer attempts to connect to an overseas network. It determines whether roaming use is tied to a normal departure. If it is confirmed as normal use, roaming connects without separate country settings.

The manual type lets customers designate the countries where they will use roaming. Roaming can be used only in countries registered in advance, and if no permitted countries are registered, overseas roaming connections are blocked.

Yoon Jae-woong (윤재웅), head of SK Telecom's Product & Brand Division, said, "We will continue to expand reassurance services from the customer's perspective so that customers can use communications services without worry anywhere at home and abroad."