North Korea commercialized fourth-generation mobile communications (4G) in September 2023, and at the time of launch, it was found that the service was only available in some large cities, including Pyongyang.
North Korea’s application (app) ‘Gangseong Mobile Communication 3.0’ posted a notice on September 8, 2023 that said, “Gangseong Network begins 4th generation mobile communication service.” Daily NK confirmed that such a notice was posted in the app that it recently obtained.
North Korea’s telecommunications companies include ‘Koryo Network’, operated by ‘Cheo’, a joint venture between Egypt’s Orascom and North Korea’s Ministry of Posts and Communications, and ‘Gangseong’, operated by the Pyongyang Mobile Communications Agency.
The notice also included the explanation, “The 4th generation mobile communication network is the next generation mobile communication network developed to overcome the insufficient data communication capabilities (data communication) of the 3rd generation mobile communication network and to ensure people’s increasing demand for data communication.”
At the same time, “In the 4th generation mobile communication, voice calls, which are the main services (services) of the 3rd generation mobile communication, are carried out as is, and along with the data communication service provided by the 3rd generation mobile communication, real-time TV viewing, real-time video conversation, high-definition video viewing, and photo transmission are provided. “You will receive a variety of information services, including at high data communication speeds and at low prices,” he said.
4G is a network with greatly improved speed and bandwidth compared to 3G, and is suitable for real-time streaming and high-speed data transmission. 4G provides speeds that are dozens of times faster than 3G, making online games and video calls possible. In addition, large file transfers, multimedia, and cloud services are also possible based on 4G.
In particular, it appears that 4G service was only available in some cities, such as Pyongyang, in the early stages of commercialization.
The app’s notice dated September 7, 2023 states, “Currently, 4G mobile communication services are available in central areas of Pyongyang City,” and “Services will soon be provided in each provincial location and major railroad and highway areas.” This was included.
At the same time, it was added that “4G mobile communication service areas will continue to expand in the near future.”
This suggests that at the time, 4G mobile communication infrastructure was not yet in place nationwide in North Korea. However, given that the notice was posted about a year ago, it is highly likely that the area available for 4G service has expanded.
Meanwhile, contrary to the explanation that the service can be used at a low price, 4G rates were found to be up to 50 times higher than 3G.
The ‘Data Communication Service’ section within the app introduces the fees along with user registration information.
According to this, 3G communication fees are divided into categories 1 to 3, and subscription fees and monthly fees are applied differently for each level. Based on foreign currency payment, category 1 has a subscription fee of 110 won and can use 100MB for 132 won per month, category 2 has a subscription fee of 440 won and can use 500MB for 220 won per month, and category 3 has a subscription fee of 286 won and can use 1GB for 133 won per month. there is.
North Korea uses the concept of ‘foreign currency source’ when making foreign currency payments online. Generally, 1 dollar is converted to 110 foreign currency won, but the exchange rate is known to fluctuate slightly depending on the time of year.
Meanwhile, it was found that 4G communication fees are divided into categories 1 to 2 based on domestic currency payments, and categories 1 to 6 based on foreign currency payments. It was noticeable that the subscription fee for both was the same at 550 won.
Based on domestic currency payment, it was announced that category 1 can use 70MB of data for 1,500 won per month, and category 2 can use 150MB of data for 3,000 won per month. The rate plan based on foreign currency payment is ▲Class 1 110 won/0.5GB per month ▲Catego 2 220 won per month. It was introduced as KRW/1GB ▲Category 3 440 won/month/2GB ▲Category 4 660 won/month/5GB ▲Category 5 1100 won/month/10GB ▲Category 6 5500 won/month/unlimited.
When converting 1 dollar into 110 foreign currency won, you have to pay $50 per month to use unlimited data, which is about 50 times more expensive than the cheapest 3G 1st class rate.
Source: www.dailynk.com
