North Korea

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North Korea

Mobile networks and carriers in North Korea use 1 UMTS band. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work in North Korea. See the tables below for details.

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North Korea's mobile network has undergone significant development over the years, with a focus on state control and limited accessibility.

Early Development

  • Introduction of Mobile Phones: Mobile phones were introduced to North Korea in November 2002, with the first network, Sunnet, launched in Rason and Pyongyang by Loxley Pacific, a Thai company. The initial service was based on second-hand equipment from Vodafone Hungary and had 3,000 subscribers within a couple of months, growing to over 20,000 by the end of 2003.
  • Ban and Reintroduction: The service was suspended in May 2004 following an explosion at a train yard near the Chinese border, but it was not completely shut down. By December 2008, a new mobile phone service, Koryolink, was launched in Pyongyang, operated by the Egyptian company Orascom. The North Korean government soon took control of the service and its earnings.

Expansion and Growth

  • Subscriber Numbers: The number of mobile phone subscribers increased rapidly. By September 2010, there were over 660,000 subscribers, and by December 2011, this number had grown to 900,000. By April 2013, the figure neared two million, and by 2015, it had reached three million.
  • Coverage and Usage: By 2011, 60% of Pyongyang's citizens between the ages of 20 and 50 had a cellphone. The cellular network covered vast stretches of the country, extending beyond urban areas into rural regions. Smartphone ownership was reported to be between 50 and 80 percent of the adult population.

Current State

  • Control and Surveillance: The North Korean government maintains close control over the mobile network, using digital signature systems to prevent access to unsanctioned files and logging usage information that can be physically inspected. This allows for significant state surveillance.
  • Technological Advancements: Despite the challenges posed by sanctions, North Korea has made efforts to improve its telecommunications infrastructure. The Mirae network, offering speeds of at least 33 Mbps, was set up in Pyongyang in 2017 and has been extended to other cities. There are also reports of a second Wi-Fi-based network called Ullim.

Overall, North Korea's mobile network has evolved from a limited service to a more widespread and integral part of daily life, though it remains heavily controlled by the state.

Carriers

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Name # of frequency bands in use
Koryolink 1

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Frequencies in use

UMTS

Name Interface
B1 (2100 MHz) UMTS

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