Carrier number porting has hit a 38-month high. This is due to intensifying competition led by budget phones. In addition to the ‘0 won plan’, the ‘lifetime plan’ has also been revived for the first time in two years.
According to the Korea Telecommunications Association먹튀검증 (KOTA)’s ‘May Mobile Phone Number Portability’ report, the total number of number porting last month was 526,909 lines. This is the first time since March 2020 when the number of monthly number transfers exceeded 500,000. This was led by Alttelephone. The total number of migrations from the three telecom companies to Altdotphone (117,513 lines) and from Altdotphone to Altdotphone (174,253 lines) totaled 291,766 lines. This is 55% of the total.
What sparked the number migration is the ‘0won plan’. It is a plan that provides 10GB of data for free for a limited period of 5 to 7 months. As of May 5, there were 60 of them. When the free period ends, many customers switch to other budget phone carriers’ 0won plans. They are called “grasshoppers” for the way they move around. Competition is intensifying. The “lifetime plan,” also known as the “ultimate plan,” has been revived after a two-year hiatus. Lifetime plans are not free for a limited time, like the current 0-cost plans, but rather cheap for life.
On January 1, Hello Mobile launched a plan that offers 7GB of data and 500 minutes of calls for KRW 16,910 per month. Once you use up your 7GB, you can continue to use data at 3Mbps. 3 Mbps is enough to watch a YouTube video in 720P quality. This is a customized plan aimed at customers who are uncomfortable with switching to a zero-cost plan at the end of the free period and want to use data for life at a low price. The internet community has been buzzing about the return of the Legendary Plan.
The legendary plan is Seven Mobile’s plan that was called the Lifetime Plan two years ago. It exploded in popularity in July 2021 when it offered 7GB of data (unlimited 3mbps) and 500 minutes of talk time for 16,900 won per month. Compared to the plan released by Hello Mobile this time, it is the same configuration except that it is 10 won cheaper. It was oversubscribed within a month of its launch. It is estimated to have more than 100,000 subscribers.