LG Uplus, which has moved to replace SIM cards amid controversy over exposure of International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbers, said more than 55,000 customers applied on the first day to visit stores under its reservation system.
LG Uplus said total reservations to visit stores for SIM updates and replacement stood at 55,576 as of 8 p.m. the previous day. Of these, mobile network operator (MNO) customers totalled 51,688, about 0.4 percent of all eligible customers. MVNO customers made 3,888 reservations, about 0.1 percent.
The measure follows concerns raised about how the IMSI is designed. LG Uplus has been found to have reflected part of customers' actual mobile phone numbers when generating IMSIs. IMSIs are typically designed using random numbers so they cannot identify a specific individual or phone number.
LG Uplus is therefore carrying out SIM updates and free replacement for all customers. The advance reservation system began operating on April 8. LG Uplus customers can use the 'U+One' app and the LG Uplus website to choose the store, date and time slot for their visit. The SIM updates and replacement will proceed sequentially from April 13.
Jin-ho Lee
jhlee26@d-today.co.kr