Mobile carriers ready for spike in year-end data usage

South Korea’s mobile carriers are busy preparing to counter an expected surge in data traffic during the year-end season, the companies said Wednesday. 

Now is usually the time when mobile carriers experience a dramatic increase in data usage, including voice calls, particularly in locations where many people gather to celebrate.

Whenever large numbers of people occupy the same space at the same time, data traffic tends to increase accordingly, said officials from the mobile carriers.

The local mobile carriers thus designate sites where they expect traffic surges. They prepare to expand their data processing capabilities to cope with the increases, and sometimes they install additional mobile equipment in busy locations to prevent slowdowns.

KT has identified some 220 sites nationwide as locations that need extra attention, including shopping centers, city centers, tourist attractions and popular event venues, according to the mobile carrier.

One of the most crowded sites where data use tends to skyrocket is Bosingak in central Seoul, where revelers celebrate New Year’s Eve with a symbolic bell-ringing ceremony.

The best sunrise spots along the East Sea, such as Jeongdongjin in Gangneung and Homigot in Pohang, are also among the locations where people gather in much higher numbers than usual.

The carriers have remained on high alert since early December and are planning to operate emergency teams.

At all three telecom firms, engineers at control offices will work around the clock to monitor changes in data and call frequency during the year-end period.

KT said it had put some 450 workers into action to optimize overall network performance and maintain the high quality of its service by running emergency shifts between Dec. 21 and Jan. 2.

“The company will deploy field agents in specific areas. It will also run a command center to counter emergent issues,” an LG Uplus official said.

SKT said it would also stay alert and keep its service uninterrupted as in previous years.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)