SK Telecoms shutters 2G service

Having gained regulatory approval for its plan to stop offering 2G services, South Korea’s SK Telecom (SKT) has reportedly actioned just such a plan. According to The Korea Herald the cellco began switching off its network in smaller cities, including Sejong, from 6 July 2020, concluding the process this week in Seoul – the last location where the network was closed. With SKT’s subscribers no longer able to make calls or send text messages over the 2G network, to support their transition to the telco’s more advanced networks (3G/4G/5G) SKT is offering financial benefits, including the offer of discounts on either their monthly bills or a new handset. Of note, 2G subscriber whose telephone numbers begin with the 011 and 017 prefixes will be able to retain their existing numbers until June 2021.