LG Uplus to run mobile 'visiting stores' for island and mountain areas
In short
LG Uplus said it will operate a converted Hyundai Solati vehicle as a "visiting store" to bring telecom consultations and digital education to island, mountain and other areas without fixed outlets. One vehicle each is to be placed in the Yeongnam and Honam regions, serving also festivals, disaster sites and small business owners. The company said the aim is to reach customers regardless of region or age.
Read the full story 2 min read
LG Uplus said on October 7 that it will operate a vehicle-based “visiting store” that travels to island and mountain areas and to digitally vulnerable groups, offering telecom consultations and digital education. The company said the plan is aimed at customers who find it difficult to visit an offline outlet. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The vehicle is a Hyundai Solati converted into a space for customer service consultations and digital education, according to the reports. Inside it has a consultation area, monitors and storage for information materials; outside, awnings, tables, chairs and information signs can be set up to expand the consultation space depending on the site. One vehicle each is to be deployed in the Yeongnam and Honam regions. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The stores will visit island and mountain areas, small cities without fixed outlets and areas with large elderly populations, providing USIM replacement, home and mobile phone bill consultations, smartphone use training and voice phishing prevention education, the documents said. According to Seoul Economic Daily, employees work in teams of three, a detail that appears in only that report. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
The vehicles are also to be used at local festivals and events, where they will offer telecom consultations, power bank rentals and information on bundled internet, IPTV and mobile products. At disaster sites such as floods or wildfires, they are to serve as support vehicles providing free Wi-Fi, phone charging and power bank rentals. For small business owners, consultations cover communications services needed to run a store, including CCTV, POS and internet. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Jung Chul, head of LG Uplus's consumer sales group, said the company is moving beyond the existing model of customers coming to a store to a new customer contact point that goes directly to regions and sites where telecom services are needed. He said the company will expand field-based activities so that customers can use needed consultations and digital education regardless of region or age. [ 1 , 2 ]
The documents do not state when the vehicles will begin operating or how many customers or locations they are expected to reach. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The service is a customer-contact and digital-inclusion effort by one of South Korea's three major mobile carriers, aimed at areas where fixed stores have been withdrawn as the population ages. It also puts the carrier's vehicles at festival and disaster sites, where telecom services and charging are in demand. The documents give no figures on cost, coverage targets or expected user numbers.
Key facts
- LG Uplus announced on October 7 that it will run a vehicle-based “visiting store” offering telecom consultations and digital education. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The vehicle is a Hyundai Solati converted into a space for customer consultations and education. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- One vehicle each is to be deployed in the Yeongnam and Honam regions. [ 2 , 4 ]
- The stores will serve island and mountain areas, small cities without stores and areas with large elderly populations. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Services include USIM replacement, home and mobile phone bill consultations, smartphone use training and voice phishing prevention education. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- At local festivals the vehicles are to offer telecom consultations, power bank rentals and information on bundled internet, IPTV and mobile products. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- At disaster sites they are to provide free Wi-Fi, phone charging and power bank rentals. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- For small business owners the vehicles will offer consultations on CCTV, POS and internet services needed to run a store. [ 2 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- LG Uplus will operate a vehicle-based “visiting store” providing telecom consultations and digital education in island, mountain and other underserved areas. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- One vehicle each will be placed in the Yeongnam and Honam regions. [ 2 , 4 ]
- The vehicle is a converted Hyundai Solati, with space inside for consultations and monitors and, outside, awnings, tables and chairs or signs. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Services include USIM replacement, home and mobile bill consultations, smartphone use education and voice phishing prevention education. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The vehicles will also be used at local festivals and disaster sites, providing power bank rentals, free Wi-Fi and phone charging. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- For small business owners, consultations cover communications services such as CCTV, POS and internet. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Jung Chul, head of LG Uplus's consumer sales group, said the company will expand field-based activities so customers can use needed consultations and digital education regardless of region or age. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Whether each visiting store team consists of three employees. Only one document (Seoul Economic Daily) gives the team size; the other documents do not mention staffing.
- When the vehicles will begin operating and which specific locations they will visit first. The documents describe the plan but give no start date or schedule.
- How many areas or customers the service expects to reach. No targets or figures appear in any document.