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Press Release
Three out of four 011/017 customers who visit overseas countries are able to enjoy SK Telecom’s Automatic Roaming Service.
The service area has been expanded to about 80 cities in the U.S. and China.
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Starting on the 21st of May 2003, SK Telecom launches Automatic Roaming Service in Thailand and Saipan Island where Korean tourists frequently visit for their vacations. This service allows 011/017 customers to use the same number and handset they used in Korea.
An SK Telecom official announced the launch of the Automatic Roaming Service in the central region of Thailand (Bangkok, Pataya, and Cosamet) and the entire Island of Saipan. These are areas that Korean tourists frequently visit for their vacations.
Starting on the 21st of May 2003, 017/011 customers can enjoy cellular service in the above areas using the same number and handset they used in Korea. SK Telecom is the only company in Korea that is offering International Automatic Roaming Service.
After beginning the service in Australia in September of 2000, the company has continued to expand the CDMA Automatic Roaming Service into the U.S., Japan, China, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong and many other countries. Now the company has added these service areas in Thailand and Saipan.
Statistically three out four 011/017 customers who visit overseas countries, are now able to enjoy Automatic Roaming Service.
Of the total number of Korean visitors to overseas countries in the year 2002, as revealed by the Korea National Tourism Organization, the number of Korean visitors to China was (27%), Japan (20%), U.S. (10%, including Saipan), Thailand (9%), Hong Kong(3%), Canada(2%), Australia (2%), New Zealand(1%), Guam (1%).
These SK Telecom’s Automatic Roaming Service areas provided service for 75% of all of Korea’s visitors to foreign countries (The figures indicated in the parentheses are percentages of visitors in the corresponding country of the total number of Korean visitors to all foreign countries).
In order to use this service in Thailand and Saipan Island, the cellular handsets that are used in Korea require a menu setting that allows the handset to receive the local mobile phone companies’ frequency.
Once the customers get a roaming service guide from SK Telecom’s Automatic Roaming Customer Center, or from the International Roaming Center and Leaders Club Lounge at the Incheon International Airport, they can simply make necessary changes, and operate the cellular handset menu on their own.
When SK Telecom customers make cellular calls in Thailand and Saipan Island, they press area code and phone number for local calls, and press the international call carriers’ number, country code, area code, and phone number for international calls.
When making calls between 011/017 subscribers in the U.S., they press the numbers in the same way they make calls in Korea.
The usage rate for the Automatic Roaming Service is 496 Korean won, which is 16 Thai bahts (1 baht = 31 Korean won) per minute for calls inside Thailand, and 1,705 won (55 bahts) per minute when making international calls to Korea.
In addition, a 496 won per minute local call rate, plus a 759 won international call rate, will be charged for receiving calls from Korea.
In the case of Saipan Island, the local call charge for the Automatic Roaming Service is 446 won (US$0.37) per minute and 1,615 won (US$1.34) per minute when making international calls to Korea.
In addition, a 446 won (US$0.37) per minute local call rate, plus a 172 won international call rate, will be charged for receiving calls from Korea.
Besides the launch of the service in Thailand and Saipan Island, SK Telecom has expanded the service areas from 50 cities to 80 cities in the U.S. and China.
By the second part of this year, the company plans to start the CDMA Automatic Roaming Service in Taiwan, Brazil, Mexico, and Peru. Notably, SK Telecom is implementing Automatic Data Roaming Service, in addition to the Voice Roaming Service in China and Japan.
Adding this plan to the areas already serviced enables the forming of a CDMA Automatic Roaming Belt that connects all Asian Pacific regions.
In addition to the CDMA Automatic Roaming Service, SK Telecom is furnishing Rental Roaming Service in 134 countries worldwide through affiliations with foreign telecom operators.
This service lets customers rent a global roaming handset in order to use their own 011/017 cellular numbers in foreign countries.
At the same time, the company is offering Semi-Automatic Roaming Service for foreign GSM cellular users who visit Korea through forming affiliations with about 50 GSM service providers throughout the world.
This service lets foreign GSM cellular customers use their original cellular numbers in Korea, by renting handsets using a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card.
Responding to the expansion of the Automatic Roaming Service areas, and the rapid growth in international roaming demands, SK Telecom established an International Roaming Center on the first floor of the entrance area, and added International Roaming Service Booths on the third floor of the departure area at the Incheon International Airport, thereby furnishing roaming-related guidance rapidly and conveniently.
Moreover, the company is providing Automatic Roaming Service-enabled handsets free of charge to 011/017 customers who visit Japan, and to customers who have an older model handset that cannot support automatic roaming service when they travel overseas.
Starting on the 21st of May 2003, 017/011 customers can enjoy cellular service in the above areas using the same number and handset they used in Korea. SK Telecom is the only company in Korea that is offering International Automatic Roaming Service.
After beginning the service in Australia in September of 2000, the company has continued to expand the CDMA Automatic Roaming Service into the U.S., Japan, China, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong and many other countries. Now the company has added these service areas in Thailand and Saipan.
Statistically three out four 011/017 customers who visit overseas countries, are now able to enjoy Automatic Roaming Service.
Of the total number of Korean visitors to overseas countries in the year 2002, as revealed by the Korea National Tourism Organization, the number of Korean visitors to China was (27%), Japan (20%), U.S. (10%, including Saipan), Thailand (9%), Hong Kong(3%), Canada(2%), Australia (2%), New Zealand(1%), Guam (1%).
These SK Telecom’s Automatic Roaming Service areas provided service for 75% of all of Korea’s visitors to foreign countries (The figures indicated in the parentheses are percentages of visitors in the corresponding country of the total number of Korean visitors to all foreign countries).
In order to use this service in Thailand and Saipan Island, the cellular handsets that are used in Korea require a menu setting that allows the handset to receive the local mobile phone companies’ frequency.
Once the customers get a roaming service guide from SK Telecom’s Automatic Roaming Customer Center, or from the International Roaming Center and Leaders Club Lounge at the Incheon International Airport, they can simply make necessary changes, and operate the cellular handset menu on their own.
When SK Telecom customers make cellular calls in Thailand and Saipan Island, they press area code and phone number for local calls, and press the international call carriers’ number, country code, area code, and phone number for international calls.
When making calls between 011/017 subscribers in the U.S., they press the numbers in the same way they make calls in Korea.
The usage rate for the Automatic Roaming Service is 496 Korean won, which is 16 Thai bahts (1 baht = 31 Korean won) per minute for calls inside Thailand, and 1,705 won (55 bahts) per minute when making international calls to Korea.
In addition, a 496 won per minute local call rate, plus a 759 won international call rate, will be charged for receiving calls from Korea.
In the case of Saipan Island, the local call charge for the Automatic Roaming Service is 446 won (US$0.37) per minute and 1,615 won (US$1.34) per minute when making international calls to Korea.
In addition, a 446 won (US$0.37) per minute local call rate, plus a 172 won international call rate, will be charged for receiving calls from Korea.
Besides the launch of the service in Thailand and Saipan Island, SK Telecom has expanded the service areas from 50 cities to 80 cities in the U.S. and China.
By the second part of this year, the company plans to start the CDMA Automatic Roaming Service in Taiwan, Brazil, Mexico, and Peru. Notably, SK Telecom is implementing Automatic Data Roaming Service, in addition to the Voice Roaming Service in China and Japan.
Adding this plan to the areas already serviced enables the forming of a CDMA Automatic Roaming Belt that connects all Asian Pacific regions.
In addition to the CDMA Automatic Roaming Service, SK Telecom is furnishing Rental Roaming Service in 134 countries worldwide through affiliations with foreign telecom operators.
This service lets customers rent a global roaming handset in order to use their own 011/017 cellular numbers in foreign countries.
At the same time, the company is offering Semi-Automatic Roaming Service for foreign GSM cellular users who visit Korea through forming affiliations with about 50 GSM service providers throughout the world.
This service lets foreign GSM cellular customers use their original cellular numbers in Korea, by renting handsets using a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card.
Responding to the expansion of the Automatic Roaming Service areas, and the rapid growth in international roaming demands, SK Telecom established an International Roaming Center on the first floor of the entrance area, and added International Roaming Service Booths on the third floor of the departure area at the Incheon International Airport, thereby furnishing roaming-related guidance rapidly and conveniently.
Moreover, the company is providing Automatic Roaming Service-enabled handsets free of charge to 011/017 customers who visit Japan, and to customers who have an older model handset that cannot support automatic roaming service when they travel overseas.