KT opens coveted gold-number lottery to customers across carriers

KT is opening its latest gold-number lottery to mobile phone users across Korea, giving customers of rival carriers and budget phone services a chance to secure sought-after numbers such as 1111, 1234 and 1004. KT said Monday it would hold a drawing for mobile phone numbers considered particularly desirable because they are easy to remember or carry special meanings. The company is offering 155 categories of preferred numbers, including AAAA patterns, in which all four digits are identical, such as 1111 and 2222, and ABCD patterns featuring consecutive digits, such as 1234 and 5678. Numbers with particular meanings, including 1004 and 2580, are also included in the selection. Each applicant can enter the drawing for up to three numbers, KT said. Applications can be submitted at KT stores nationwide, through KT's website or via its My KT mobile application. Participation is not limited to KT subscribers, with customers using other mobile carriers and mobile virtual network operators, commonly known as MVNOs, also eligible to enter. The expanded eligibility gives mobile phone users across dif