(Nikkei BP Group)
(No.1 High Tech News Site in Japanese)
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| Internet Phone Use Rising Sharply in Korea
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July 27, 1998 (SEOUL) -- The number of Internet telephone users, including
those at major trading companies, has increased sharply in recent months,
industry watchers said.
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Mobile phone subscribers are also using the service due to the 64 percent
lower prices and no extra mobile phone charges.
SK Telink Co. recently began providing its Internet phone service to
SK Telecom's mobile subscribers, and more than 10,000 subscribers a
day are using the new Internet phone service just three weeks after
it started.
Naray Telecom Inc. has provided the service to 016 and 019 code subscribers,
including Naray's pager subscribers. On an average day about 8,000 customers
use the service.
Seoul International Call Service, the newest entrant, has attracted 500
corporate clients over the past month, and posted 100 million won in
sales, the company said.
I-Net provides the service to Shinsegi and LG Telecom subscribers.
Trading companies comprise 51 percent of the client base for the new
services, followed by manufacturers and wholesalers, which account for
15 percent, software companies, which account for 7 percent, and financial
institutions, 3.5 percent.
"Clients say they have saved up to 40 percent in call charges with the
Internet phone service," said an official at one of the service providers.
The official added that 21 percent of clients use the service to call
the United States, 18 percent to Japan and 15 percent to China.
(Maeil Business Newspaper, Korea)
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