In a bid to dethrone KakaoTalk, the largest mobile communications provider in South Korea, three telecommunications giant joined forces to create their new messaging app. Included in this joint venture are SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus. The companies named the new messaging service as Chatting Plus, representatives announced last Tuesday.
According to representatives of Chatting Plus, users can get the application without having to install or pay for additional service. All they need to do is to update their mobile phone’s software.
The application will have the traditional SMS (short message service), and MMS (multimedia message service) features with 140 bytes and 2 megabytes caps. Chatting Plus can also accommodate large group chats of up to 100 members. Users can also send files as large as 100 megabytes at single instances
The new messaging app is not the first time the three companies tried to enter the richer text-messaging market. SK’s previous app was unable to pull users because of a restriction that allowed users to message other SK Telecom subscribers as well. This limit left users feeling confined according to an anonymous SK subscriber.
Chatting Plus aims to address this issue by connecting users from all three telecommunication companies. Hence, it will make messaging more accessible and inclusive.
The service will be running on GSM Association’s, a trade body representing mobile network operators worldwide, Rich Text Communication Services. Moon Byung-yong, head of SK Telecom’s messaging service group, said users would be able to communicate across the boundaries of telecom companies.
“We are also planning to improve messaging services used by corporate clients,” Moon said.
“KT released RCS in December for the first time among mobile carriers here,” said Park Hyun-jin, heads of KT’s 5G business unit. “We will continue to advance the service by adding new features such as remittance.”
Park Jong-wook of LG Uplus’s mobile service division said the company would invest in upgrades for the service. “We will secure various service platforms to offer new value and experiences to users,” he said.
SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus describe the service as a perfect integration during the start of 5G in Korea. Analysts see that Chatting Plus need to up its ante for it to perform well. For example, it has to include more features not yet available to competitors like KakaoTalk.
Featured image grabbed from SK Telecom website.
