지원금 경쟁에 밀린 알뜰폰, 가입자 순감 지속

South Korea's MVNO market faces existential pressure as subscriber churn accelerates—May 2026 recorded 112,111 net losses, up 52% from April—driven by major operators' bundled services and subsidies that budget carriers cannot match. The deregulation that lifted marketing restrictions has unexpectedly accelerated market consolidation by enabling well-capitalized incumbents to overwhelm underfunded competitors. This trend signals potential competitive collapse in a critical market segment, raising concerns about long-term consumer choice and pricing discipline in Korea's telecom sector.