The domestic mobile phone market was stabilized in July this year after a sharp rise in June, as wireless operators decided to stop excessive marketing campaigns. Sales dropped 4 to 5% to 1.5 to 1.6 million units in July.
"The number of handsets used for subscription dropped modestly compared to June," said market experts. "Rising sales of high-end phones such as terrestrial DMB phones and slim phone are now driving growth."
Sales are expected to remain between 1.4 to 1.5 million units through August, as the three wireless operators decided to stop aggressive campaigns.
Samsung Electronics said that it accounted for some 52% of the market by selling 750,000 to 760,000 units, which were up some 4.5% from 47.5% in June.
LG Electronics is estimated to take 24% of the market by selling 360,000 units, pushing up its share of the market from 16% in April, 20.4% in May and 21.1% in June. The company sold more than 150,000 units of terrestrial DMB phones and over 1,000 units of Chocolate series. It has also recently introduce a slim folder handset via LG Telecom, and plans to launch an aggressive marketing campaign in time for the launch of new KTF handsets.
Pantech, which sold 340,000 units in June this year, sold about the same volume of phones in July.
SK Telecom lost 10,685 subscribers in July, as 425,306 subscribed to service and 435,991 canceled service. KTF added a net 84,000 by winning 412,000 and losing 329,000. LG Telecom lured 252,290 but canceled 200,173, recording a net increase of 52,117. The company is nearing this year’s target of 6.9 million, and expects the number to increase to some 7 million by the end of this year.