South Korea’s 5G networks have been available since late 2018, but like most 5G networks worldwide, only select customers have access. The government’s Ministry of Science and ICT predicts that 90 percent of mobile users will be able to reach the upgraded network by 2026.
How 5G Works in South Korea
Here’s a quick primer on 5G, if you’re not familiar with it: roughly every decade, a new mobile network technology standard is developed to improve upon an older one: in this case, 4G. The speed of 5G is its main advantage over 4G, and it’s what will allow 5G networks to change the way we live our daily lives.
There are three companies that have agreed to bring 5G to South Korea: SK Telecom (SKT), KT and LG Uplus. The official launch was on December 1, 2018, but it brought 5G to only a few customers.
On April 3, 2019, 5G services went live for the general consumer. They were able to connect to the network on April 5, with the launch of the country’s first 5G phone, the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G.
