Although G5 had brought very positive responses from online and offline markets during first week since its release, there weren’t many MNPs (Mobile Number Portability) as expected. If markets reorganized based on switching of devices, MNP is still a major indicator that shows responses from markets for products. This is why most industries believe that success rate of G5 needs to be seen for little bit longer.

According to mobile telecommunication industry, MNP for G5 during first week since its release recorded 18,032 cases, which is about 2,000 to 2,500 more than average MNP during weekend. However industries believe that this number is actually short of expectation compared to popular responses towards G5.

On the other hand, MNP values for Galaxy S7 on its release date, which was the 11th of March, and the day after were 27,281 and 23,740 respectively. Daily average of MNP for Galaxy S7 during when it was released is 25,510. This is a value that noticeably increased even if it is compared to values in January and February.

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<LG Electronics released its new-application Smartphone ‘G5’ in South Korea on the 31st of March and will release it in 200 countries sequentially. South Korea and other countries are interested whether or not this product, which holds LG Electronics’ mobile business’s fate, can receive positive responses from consumers. It will be also interesting to see competition between G5 and Galaxy S7, which came out to markets about 3 weeks earlier. >

Popularity of G5 is very high from online and offline markets. Some markets complained about lack of supplies and some customers even compared it to iPhone-like popularity. However as MNP value did not even pass 20,000, there are many different kinds of analysis towards G5.

Some industries believe that enough supply is not supplied to markets yet even though demands from customers are high. Although LG Electronics is operating its production lines 24 hours, some customers complained that they could not purchase G5 with colors that they wanted.

Computer problem that occurred at a mobile telecommunication business is also brought up as one of major factors. Due to computer problem that occurred in the afternoon on the 31st, which was the release date, activations of devices at certain distribution stores did not get processed. Some industries thought that popular responses did not connect to actual purchase.

There is high possibility that customers actually chose to change their devices instead of changing their numbers. After Device Distribution Improvement Act was enforced, number of times when devices changed was far higher than number of MNP every month. There is a chance that many customers who purchased G5 actually just changed their devices while maintaining same mobile telecommunication business. MNP value for April can be seen at the end of May.

“Although there are rumors that 15,000 G5s were sold on the first day, this value cannot be seen as an exact value since manufacturers and mobile telecommunication businesses do not publicize sales volume.” said a representative for telecommunication industry. “Because it is also hard to compared it to G4, which did not have too many sales, it is too early to rate G5’s success based on just this value.” This representative also added that situations need to be seen little bit longer since MNP value cannot be ignored even though G5 had had positive responses from markets.

On the 2nd of April, LG Uplus and SKT recorded 92 and 44 pure increase of MNP respectively while KT recorded 136 pure reduction of MNP. Between the 31st of March and the 1st of April, LG Uplus recorded 976 pure increase while SKT and KT recorded 737 and 139 pure reduction respectively.

Staff Reporter Ham, Jihyun | goham@etnews.com