www.WirelessFederation.com/news: South Korea’s three mobile phone operators, led by SK Telecom Co., said Tuesday that their subscribers will be able to use universal instant messenger service this week.

Mobile phone users, regardless of the telecom services they subscribe to, will be able to send and receive instant messages through mobile devices starting Wednesday, they said.

Individual mobile carriers had to date been offering instant messenger services that were available only within their own networks. The companies said they had successfully worked on interlocking the instant messaging services.

SK Telecom, the country’s leading telecom service provider, holds up to 51% of the country’s mobile phone market, followed by KTF Co. (KSE:032390) with 32 per cent and LG Telecom Co. with 18%, according to government data.

For more information, please visit www.sktelecom.com/