LG Uplus customers will soon be able to use partner benefits for shopping, tourism and transportation while traveling abroad.
The carrier said on the 30th that it has joined the Wonderjoy Travel Alliance, a consortium of global telecom operators, and will launch a global membership service usable overseas within this year.
Current members of the alliance include Singtel of Singapore, KDDI of Japan, HKT of Hong Kong, AIS of Thailand and Taiwan Mobile of Taiwan. Only one carrier per country may join, and LG Uplus signed on as the new partner representing South Korea.
LG Uplus said it decided to join the alliance to offer customer value that extends across the entire travel experience rather than roaming alone. The company ran a pilot service from June through the end of August, centered on Japan, one of the most visited destinations for Korean customers. During the three-month trial, customers downloaded more than 10,000 coupons, according to the company. Nine out of 10 of those users redeemed discounts at Don Quijote and Lawson. Because each carrier in the alliance builds its partner network around popular local brands, customers are expected to gain convenient access to everyday benefits at their destinations.
The company plans to refine the service using the usage data and customer feedback gathered during the pilot before rolling out the full service within this year. It is also reviewing ways to link the service with travel offerings such as bookings, activities and commerce.
"We will continue to expand global partnerships to strengthen customers' overseas experience and provide differentiated travel benefits," said Lim Hye-kyung, head of pricing and products at LG Uplus.
