SK Telecom faces sales ban just as Galaxy S6 nears launch

Galaxy S launches seem to carry a curse for SK Telecom. Last year the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) imposed a ban on SK preventing sales for 45 days right around the time the Galaxy S5 was supposed to launch. Now that the Galaxy S6 launch date is nearing, KCC is imposing another ban. Pointing to illegal subsidies (as much as $450 for iPhone 6 subscribers), the KCC will ban the carrier from selling any phones and signing on new subscribers for 7 days. The telecom will also have to pay a fine of KRW 23.5 billion ($21.2 million). Both SK Telecom and Samsung are concerned how this ban will affect their businesses. It seems like the KCC hasn't settled on an exact day to enforce the ban. Samsung Galaxy S6 units are supposed to ship on April 10, so the ban may delay SK's launch. The other two major carriers, KT and LG U+, are unaffected by the ban and will be offering special...