LG U+ Chairman Lee Sang-cheol.

Models show off LG U+’s IoT services that enjoy popularity.(Photos:LG U+)

LG U+’s home Internet of Things (IoT) services have enjoyed explosive popularity, as the number of subscribers has topped 20,000 people in the 40 days since its debut.

LG U+ said on Sept. 15 that the number of subscribers of its home IoT services stood at some 21,000 as of Sept. 15. The telecom service provider reached the feat in the 40 days since it launched its home IoT services (IoT@home) in July, and some two weeks after the number of subscribers topped 10,000.

It is noteworthy that the growth rate is steep. It took 24 days for the number of subscribers to top 10,000, and then 16 days to surpass 20,000. In particular, of late more than 1,000 subscribers a day are forecast to continue signing up for LG U+, officials said.

LG U+ said it plans to secure enough IoT gadgets to meet the rising demand so that subscribers have the services made available on the day they want to open.

The most popular one among the IoT services is “U+ Plug,” an energy conservation service for controlling such things as stand lights and humidifiers by smartphone. Subscribers of the service topped 10,000 people within a month after its release. 

Such services as thermal array sensors, switches, energy meters and gas locks enjoy popularity. The number of IoT gadget subscribers is 62,000. 

LG U+ plans to release “U+ Door Lock Service” that can be controlled by smartphone in cooperation with Samsung Electronics. 

Kim Young-man, chief of LG U+ Home IoT Business team, said, “As many as 1,000 subscribers a day are swarming to newly-inaugurated IoT services, and we focus on both the opening of services and service quality.”

LG U+ is the sole telecom service provider to expand the installation of IoT services to all parts of the country and after-sales services. All smartphone users can subscribe to IoT services regardless of telecom providers.  

LG U+ Chairman’s High Profile on Global Stage

LG U+ Chairman Lee Sang-cheol’s high profile on the global stage has been drawing the spotlight of late, particularly when it comes to his ambition for LG U+ to become a “New Life Creator” with a focus on creating values and shifting from service providers to customers.

Vice Chairman Lee has recorded remarkable achievements for the past five years since his inauguration, and he is now influential on the global stage.

Lee became the first LG U+ CEO to deliver a keynote speech at Mobile World Congress Shanghai (MWC Shanghai), which was held in China from July 15 to July 17. Lee spoke about “IoT and New Life Creator,” in keeping with Mobile Unlimited, the theme of the event.

In May, LG U+ Vice Chairman Lee toured Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, where he met Chairman Ren Zhengfei to discuss the development of a 5G network and ways to promote co-prosperity between the two companies.

Lee also toured the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015 in Las Vegas and the Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona, the two biggest world ICT fairs. It was the first time in four years he participated in the two ICT fairs. While touring the fairs, LG U+ Vice Chairman Lee held meetings with not only Samsung Electronics and other Korean companies, but also global ICT leaders, including Huawei, Ericson, Nokia, AT&T, IBM and NTT DOCOMO. LG U+ dispatched a record high 200 delegates to MWC 2015 in Spain last March to the demonstrate IoT services the Korean telecom provider is developing.

LG U+ Chairman Lee gave his New Year’s message on Jan. 2 and expressed his determination to take the initiative in making global changes with extraordinary creative spirit.

“A new ICT era will usher in a different world than now,” Chairman Lee said. He declared 2015 as the first year of becoming a “New Life Creator” with a focus on creating value, shifting from service providers to customers.