SK Telecom, the nation’s largest telecom carrier, said Sunday that it will start mobile roaming services onboard cruise ships around the world from Monday. 

SKT has teamed up with Wireless Maritime Services, a leading provider of onboard communication systems, to offer voice calling, text messaging and data service on 126 cruise liners of 25 companies.

The company said that the new service will be helpful even if there is a shipwreck as it is based on satellite communications allowing travelers to be connected to their family and colleagues during an ocean trip.

Currently, about 30,000 Korean passengers are estimated to travel on board cruise liners every year, a dramatic growth from 200 to 300 in the early 2000s.

Thus far, Korean travelers have been able to use cellphones only when the ship is at anchor or cruising near seas.

SKT’s “T Roaming Cruise” service is available for customers using handsets running on the third-generation and fourth-generation Long Term Evolution.

The fees will be charged under a usage-based system, almost one-fourth of the costs for satellite phone calls.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)