KT, Korea’s second-biggest mobile carrier, said it will introduce new marketing programs with the aim of making its various services easier and more convenient to use by consumers.

This comes as the company is about to normalize its operations after a business suspension lasting more than a month due to irregularities over giving excessive telecom subsidies in a bid to attract subscribers.

During this hiatus, KT saw more than 120,000 of its subscribers switching carriers, mostly to SK Telecom, Korea’s largest mobile carrier. Its market share also fell below 30 percent for the first time in 12 years.

But this is about to change as KT, headed by new CEO Hwang Chang-gyu, will be back in business this Sunday with attractive services.

It will introduce a service called “Sponge” that will absorb all sorts of problems and financial burdens that consumers face when they change phones.

The company will help consumers by seeking exemptions and easing the payment of mandatory fees for switching phones after one year of use.

Other notable services include expanding membership discount offers with KT partners such as CJ CGV theaters, Mr. Pizza restaurants and GS25 convenience stores.

It will offer fast and free Wi-Fi network connections at 1.3 gigabytes per second at its partner Starbucks stores nationwide.

It will also immediately classify consumers who subscribe between May and June to its unlimited LTE calling and data plan priced at 79,000 won ($76) a month as “Superstar VIPs.”

By Park Hyong-ki (hkp@heraldcorp.com)