SK Telecom Q3 2026 Revenue Jumps 13% to KRW 4.5 Trillion; 5G Subscribers Reach 18.09 Million, Capex at KRW 461 Billion
SK Telecom reported Q3 2026 revenue of KRW 4.5T, up 13% YoY, with 5G subscribers at 18.09M. Operating profit rose 1,040% YoY to KRW 552.3B. Capex was KRW 461.4B. Mobile revenue grew 21.6% YoY to KRW 2.57T. 5G penetration reached 83%. ARPU increased 22.1% YoY to KRW 29,297. SK Broadband revenue rose 2.6% YoY to KRW 1.17T. AI revenue grew 27.3% YoY to KRW 70B, with plans to expand data center capacity.
How this was made
The 30-second read
Why it matters
The earnings print shows a strong year-over-year profitability rebound and improving retention (churn down), while sequential softness and AI data center contract transition risk can drive volatility in near-term estimates.
Market read
Traders can update expectations for SK Telecom’s earnings trajectory based on the profitability rebound, 5G subscriber growth, and AI revenue/capacity roadmap, while monitoring sequential declines tied to contract timing.
What to watch
The article notes the unusually weak Q3 2025 comparison for ARPU and does not disclose specific fiber-to-the-home coverage or fiber-related capex, limiting visibility into how much of the fixed-line growth is sustainable.
Background
The piece summarizes SK Telecom’s Q3 2026 operating and subscriber metrics, plus AI revenue growth and a planned AI data center capacity expansion via SK Horizon.
Market effects
Highlights telecom operators’ shift toward AI B2B/B2C and data center buildouts, reinforcing competitive focus on 5G monetization plus enterprise cloud services.
South Korea telecom demand signals (5G penetration, churn, ARPU) may influence regional carrier sentiment and peer earnings expectations.
AI infrastructure utilization and GPU-as-a-Service contract timing are globally relevant themes for telecom-linked cloud and data center demand.
Counterpoint
Sequential operating profit and sequential AI data center revenue both declined, suggesting the quarter may overstate underlying momentum due to timing effects and weak year-ago comps.
Key entities
- companySK Telecom
South Korea telecom operator reporting Q3 2026 revenue, profit, subscriber metrics, and AI infrastructure plans.
- companySK Broadband
Subsidiary reporting Q3 2026 revenue and operating profit, with fixed-line and broadband subscriber growth.
- companySK Hyper
Entity investing in data center development, cited as part of AI infrastructure expansion.
- companySK Horizon
Spin-off approved in Aug 2026, referenced as the vehicle for AI data center capacity expansion.
