South Korea’s third-generation (3G) mobile communications service has entered an exit process. SK Telecom has halted new 3G subscriptions, and KT is preparing to do the same. The 3G network will not be fully shut down immediately, but blocking new users is seen as a sign that the 3G era, which has lasted more than 20 years, is nearing its end.

To fully end 3G service, including for existing users, carriers must draw up separate user-protection plans, submit them to the Ministry of Science and ICT, and obtain approval. When the 3G network is actually switched off is expected to be decided based on how quickly existing subscribers migrate and on user-protection measures.

◆ SKT halts new 3G sign-ups after 23 years; KT also prepares

The telecom industry said on Aug. 21 that SKT stopped, from Aug. 20, new subscriptions, number porting and device changes, including SIM swaps, for 3G handsets and LTE handsets that do not support HD Voice. SKT included LTE handsets without HD Voice because voice calls are provided through the 3G network, making normal use difficult if 3G service ends.

SKT has closed the door to new subscriptions 23 years after it began 3G service in 2003. The industry sees it as a preliminary step toward a gradual shutdown of 3G service. SKT plans to support existing 3G users switching to LTE and 5G, and to apply separately to the ministry for shutdown approval before ending service in stages.

3G is the technology that shifted South Korea’s mobile market in the 2000s from voice-call centric to data centric. As 3G took hold, video calls became widespread and an environment for using the internet and various mobile services on phones became established.

But as LTE emerged in 2011 and 5G in 2019, 3G’s role continued to shrink. Subscribers and data traffic moved to newer generations, and the ageing of some handsets and network equipment operated for more than 20 years also became a burden.

SKT also cited the continued decline in 3G subscribers and traffic, ageing devices and equipment, and a shift in the communications environment toward next-generation networks as reasons for pushing ahead with a shutdown.

KT has also entered the process of ending 3G. A KT official said, "We are preparing to halt new 3G subscriptions," and added, "We are reviewing ways to minimise user inconvenience from multiple angles." As LG Uplus does not provide 3G service, if KT follows SKT in halting new sign-ups, the channel for new 3G subscribers to enter South Korea’s mobile market will effectively be closed.

◆ Halting new sign-ups blocks the "entrance"; it is different from a full shutdown

SKT’s move is difficult to view as a full shutdown of 3G service. Halting new subscriptions is a measure to prevent new users from signing up for 3G. Existing subscribers can continue to use 3G service. The 3G network, including base stations, will also continue operating for the time being. The move is effectively closer to blocking the "entrance" ahead of a future shutdown.

For carriers to actually switch off 3G service completely, they must prepare detailed user-protection plans for remaining subscribers. A full shutdown is completed only after submitting them to the ministry and obtaining approval to end service. Key considerations for approval include whether subscribers can move smoothly to LTE and 5G and whether harm to existing users, including vulnerable groups, can be sufficiently reduced.

SKT’s launch of a large-scale transition support programme at the same time as the new-signup halt is due to such administrative procedures. SKT said it would maintain existing bundle discounts and long-term customer benefits on the same terms if users of 3G devices and LTE devices without HD Voice switch to LTE and 5G. It will also offer free device replacements and discounted plan benefits.

◆ Subscribers already below 1 percent; need to maintain 3G also declines

A continued drop in subscribers lies behind the growing discussion of 3G’s exit. The ministry’s subscriber status data for wired and wireless communications services showed that, as of the end of June this year, South Korea had 328,124 3G mobile phone lines. That is about 0.6 percent of the 56,714,682 total mobile phone lines. The ministry’s position is that a full shutdown cannot be easily decided because 3G is still often used in equipment applying the internet of things, such as cars or elevators.

But if mobile subscribers and traffic keep shrinking, the need to keep maintaining the 3G network also falls. Overseas, 3G exits are already a common trend. Major operators such as Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T in the United States, NTT Docomo, SoftBank and KDDI in Japan, and O2 in Britain ended 3G service, citing reasons including declining users and more efficient use of spectrum.

Ending 3G service also matters from the perspective of spectrum use. The industry view is that it is more efficient to use resources for LTE and 5G, which have many users, rather than continuing to operate spectrum and network facilities for 3G services that have seen steep declines in subscribers and traffic. Investment in equipment is also needed for the 6G era, expected to be commercialised around 2029.

An industry official said, "Halting new subscriptions means a signal flare has already been fired for a (full) shutdown of 3G," and added, "3G will not disappear immediately, but it is clear that it has entered an exit phase."