SK Telecom launches free add-on to block roaming in countries customers do not choose
In short
SK Telecom said on 22 October that it is launching a free add-on service, T Roaming Ansimgukga (T 로밍 안심국가), which blocks roaming in countries a customer has not allowed. It comes in an automatic and a manual version and can be joined through the T World website, the app or the T Roaming customer center.
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SK Telecom said on 22 October that it is launching a free add-on service called T Roaming Ansimgukga (T 로밍 안심국가), which lets customers block roaming in countries they do not want to use. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
According to the reports, the service checks whether roaming is allowed in a country when a customer first tries to connect to an overseas mobile network, and blocks the roaming connection if it is not. Newsis and ZDNet Korea said this can reduce billing and unauthorised use resulting from unintended connections to overseas networks. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Chosun Ilbo reported that existing roaming-block add-ons blocked roaming across the board, so customers could not set roaming to be used only in particular countries. [ 2 ]
The service has two types, automatic and manual. With the manual type, the customer chooses the countries in which roaming is wanted. Roaming works only in those countries, and if none is registered, overseas roaming is blocked entirely, Chosun Ilbo and ZDNet Korea reported. With the automatic type, SK Telecom checks whether the customer visited an airport before departure and overseas network connection information, and connects roaming if it judges the use to follow a normal departure. [ 2 , 3 ]
Newsis said the automatic type suits customers who travel abroad on business or to several countries often and want to avoid setting visited countries each time, while the manual type suits customers who repeatedly visit particular countries and want to designate them in advance. ZDNet Korea likewise described the automatic type as useful for frequent multi-country travellers and the manual type as suited to repeat visitors to particular countries. [ 1 , 3 ]
Newsis and ZDNet Korea said SK Telecom already runs its abnormal authentication blocking system (FDS) and that the new service adds to it for more active security management. Yun Jae-woong, head of SK Telecom's Product & Brand division, was quoted by Newsis as saying the company would keep expanding services so customers can use telecom services without worry at home and abroad. [ 1 , 3 ]
Customers can join through the T World website, the app and the T Roaming customer center. Newsis said the company described itself as the first domestic carrier to launch a service restricting unwanted roaming country by country at the overseas network connection stage; Chosun Ilbo stated the same without attribution. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The service gives SK Telecom customers a way to limit roaming by country, which the company says reduces unintended overseas connections, billing and unauthorised use. The coverage comes from the company's announcement, so its claims have not been independently assessed.
Key facts
- SK Telecom said on 22 October that it is launching the free add-on service T Roaming Ansimgukga (T 로밍 안심국가). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- When a customer first tries to connect to an overseas mobile network, the service checks whether roaming is allowed in that country and blocks the connection if it is not. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The service comes in two types, automatic and manual. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- With the manual type, roaming works only in countries the customer has designated in advance; if none is registered, overseas roaming is blocked entirely. [ 2 , 3 ]
- With the automatic type, SK Telecom checks factors such as whether the customer visited an airport before departure and overseas network connection information to judge whether the roaming follows a normal departure. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Customers can join through the T World website, the app and the T Roaming customer center. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- SK Telecom announced the free add-on service T Roaming Ansimgukga on 22 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The service checks on the first connection attempt to an overseas network whether roaming is allowed in that country and blocks it if not. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- It is offered in automatic and manual versions. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Under the manual version, roaming is available only in pre-designated countries, and overseas roaming is blocked entirely if none is designated. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Under the automatic version, SK Telecom checks airport-visit and overseas network connection information to judge whether the roaming follows a normal departure. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Sign-up is available through the T World website, the app and the T Roaming customer center. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether SK Telecom is the first domestic carrier to offer country-by-country roaming restriction at the stage of connecting to an overseas network. Newsis described this as the company's own explanation, while Chosun Ilbo stated it without attribution; no document gives independent verification.
- The date from which the service is available. The documents say the company said on 22 October that it is launching the service but give no start date.
- Whether earlier roaming-block add-ons could not be set for specific countries. Only Chosun Ilbo reported that existing add-ons blocked roaming across the board.