Users of MSN Mobile Messenger Service Explosively Increased

Yonhap News
September 15, 2003
Article by Yim Hwa-seop

The MSN mobile messenger is cornering the cable and wireless interlocking messenger market which is just emerging, as the users of MSN mobile messenger service have been explosively increasing.

According to the explanation of KTF, the download number of MSN mobile messenger service provided by KTF reaches 60,000, since July 15 when the service was launched.

In particular, it is expected that the number of users will increase more as time goes by, taking into account the fact that the average download number per day was no more than hundreds until the end of July, but it reached over a thousand in the beginning of August, and two thousand in September, which is in contrast to other mobile programs of which the increase of users shows a slow-down as time goes by.

A source at KTF said, "Until the last month, MSN messenger service had been available on just half of KTF multi-pack handsets. From this month, however, the service is available on all of multi-pack handsets, and the recognition level of it is also rising up".

"It is very inspiring that the users of the service which has not been promoted completely yet is explosively increasing. We are expecting that the number of users will increase more from next month when the advertising and marketing for this service begin in earnest, and reach over 500,000 by the end of the year", he added.

On the other hand, Dreamwiz which has been providing a cable and wireless interlocking messenger service called Genie from last year secured only 10,000-20,000 members, and SK Communications which has been providing Nate-on service is also showing poor market achievement.