4G Now

Watchdog Allows Mobile Phone Service over WiBro

The nation's telecommunications regulator decided Wednesday to allow companies to provide mobile phone service using a homegrown wireless Internet technology known as WiBro.

WiBro, one of the world's major third-generation (3G) wireless Internet standards, is an improved version of WiMax, which enables broadband-like Web connectivity even when a user is in motion. WiMax refers to a wireless Internet technology developed by Intel.

The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) said that it made the decision in order to enable handset users to make calls at cheaper rates and to promote the use of WiBro, which will in turn help lay the groundwork for its inroads into overseas markets.

WiBro is currently used only in Internet connections on laptop computers and other mobile devices. KT, South Korea's largest fixed-line telephone operator and sole WiBro provider, has already announced its intention to enter the new market. It launched the world's first WiBro service in 2006.

Industry watchers said several others are expected to follow suit. The KCC expects WiBro mobile phone service to begin around the end of 2009, given the time needed to make preparations.

The launch of WiBro-based mobile services is expected to stiffen competition in the country's near-saturated mobile phone industry, which is divided between three companies -- SK Telecom, KTF and LG Telecom.

The three companies already have their own 3G mobile services.

South Korea had 45.04 million mobile service users out of a population of 49 million as of July.

YonhapNewsAgency

Korea Lobbying for Mobile WiMax in Turkey

The Korean government allegedly tries to convince Turkey to adopt mobile WiMax. The members of Korea Communications Commission, the nation's communication policy making agency, visited Turkey in the end of June to seek for intergovernmental cooperation. The authority also is allegedly collaborating with a working group participated by the Turkey government and private businesses.

KCC pursues a joint feasibility study to include mobile WiMax in the national 3G network building plan of Turkey. The Korean government plans to provide its counterpart with technology feasibility and economic analysis information.
 
The Turkish working group is joined by Turksat, Calik Holding, Space Systems & Telecommuncations(SST). Turksat, a state owned corporation under the transport and communications ministry, is leading the nation's satellite, cable TV, and e-government businesses. Calik group recently entered the industry by acquiring communication companies in Turkmenistan and Albania. SST is a satellite service provider which is interested in mobile WiMax business.
 
The average age of the 75 million population of Turkey is around 30 years old and 47 percent of the population is aged under 25. KCC said that there's a window of opportunity in Turkey as the country is likely to grant a business license for mobile WiMax service.
 

Korea to Designate the 3rd WiBro Service Provider

Korea Communications Committee (KCC) announced that it would select another provider to boost WiBro service. Currently, KT and SK Telecom have the license to offer the service in Korea.
 
KCC promised strong support for WiBro service as a way to increase investment in communications industry. KCC also hinted that it will provide numbers to WiBro users so that they can take and make voice calls. It was designed to add competition between WiBro and other mobile services. Plus, the authority plans to deprive SK Telecom of its exclusive right to use the 800Mhz frequency and reallocate lower than 1Ghz frequency bands, which offers better call quality, to WiBro service. 

To encourage facility investment, KCC plans service quality assessment that would push service providers to put more money in quality improvement. The government is going to host a ministerial meeting with countries preparing for WiBro service to provide policy support for the service expansion around the world.
 
As KCC demonstrated a strong will to encourage investment by supporting WiBro service, SKT, which has been far from enthusiastic about the service, might feel threatened. SK Telecom's WiBro subscribers number around 1,000 persons. On the surface, KT and WiBro met government requirement for investment in the service, but when it comes to service quality in coverage areas and the number of subscribers, the two fell short of government's expectation. 
 
Will the government strategy be successful? It's rather skeptical. Both of SK Telecom and KT operate mobile services and it's not easy for them to invest more aggressively in WiBro out of fear about cannibalization.
 
In particular, Hanaro Teleocm gave up on the service license. In this situation, the question is who would jump in the business that requires huge new investment. To offer call quality comparable to existing mobile services, about 3-4 trillion won is required.
 
Yujin Investment and Securities said that building new networks is far less cost-efficient for a new comer especially considering increased investment cost. Also, abundant liquidity of existing industry players will make it more difficult to enter the industry, said the firm. Given that the price of 3G license was 1.3 trillion won, it is unfair to provide voice call numbers to WiBro providers, who pay only 130 billion won, said Yujin.

IMT-Advanced Becoming to Offer up to 600 Mbps

Working Party 5D (WP5D) of ITU's Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) finalized IMT technology in the recent meeting.

The Korea Communications Commission said that the ITU-R WP5D #2 meeting decided on spectral efficiency and frequency so as to offer up to the speed of 600Mbps with the next generation wireless technology. While IMT-2000 offers spectral efficiency of 1bps/Hz, IMT-Advanced would provide 15bps/Hz, said the commission.
 
As IMT-Advanced would use a 4x4 MIMO antenna system, it could offer up to 600Mbps on the 40㎒ band, added the commission. Those 3G technologies now in commercial use such as WCDMA and HSDPA offer 2Mbps and 14Mbps at maximum respectively.
 
The authority said that the WP5D decisions provided Korea with a chance to make its LTE Advanced and WiBro Evolution adopted as next generation technologies. The 3rd WP5D meeting is scheduled for October in Seoul, Korea.

Test Frequency for TD-SCDMA and Mobile WiMax Assigned to SK Telecom and Samsung

Korea Communications Commission, a government agency responsible for the country’s broadcast and telecommunication policies, assigned test frequency for TD-SCDMA, a 3G standard deployed in China, mobile WiMax, MIMO antenna, and ITS services.

The commission decided to offer the 2.1㎓ band to SK Telecom for TD-SCDMA test, 2.5㎓ to Samsung for mobile WiMax, 2.3㎓ to Posdata and LG Nortel for another mobile WiMax, 5.8㎓ and 2-5㎓ to the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) for ITS and MIMO antenna development. As many as 50 base stations of the six businesses and institutes will be open for test use of industry players. 
 
About assigning two frequency bands to mobile WiMax, the commission said, “The 2.5㎓ frequency given to Samsung will be used to test equipment of Sprint, a U.S. wireless carrier while the 2.3㎓ to Posdata and LG Nortel is for WiBro service test.” It went on to say, “Based on the SK Telecom’s tests for TD-SCDMA service, we would be able to build a close relationship with China in mobile service field while more Korean device and transponder manufacturers have more business opportunities in the market.”
 
SK Telecom plans to conduct experiments on a couple of sections on the highway between Seoul and its office in Bundang city.  Samsung plans to make to most of the assigned frequency to develop WiBro Evolution technology, which was adopted as a 3G international standard.
 
ETRI, which is provided with the frequency band for MIMo antenna, one of the promising 4G technologies, is expected to adapt the technology originally developed for U.S. and Europe topography to the geographical condition of Korea.
 
ETRI also plans to use the 2-5㎓ frequency to develop an international as well as local standard of ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) that involve wireless communication between cars and traffic infrastructure thus enhancing drivers’ safety and traffic control.

WRC-07 Allocates WiBro 2.3GHz Band for 4G

Recently becoming the international 3G standard, WiBro gains ground again in the 4G market, as its 2.3㎓ frequency band is allocated for common 4G spectrum.

The World Radiocommunication Conference 2007 (WRC-07) held in Geneva, Switzerland selected 2.3㎓(2.3~2.4㎓, 100㎒) as a common spectrum band for the use of 4G service, announced the Ministry of Information and Communication of Korea. Accordingly, WiBro achieved the status of the international standard and the world common frequency band at one time. 

According to ITU, 4G mobile communications, mostly multimedia data services, will require the minimum speed of 100Mbps on the move and 1Gbps for the standing device. The total bandwidth is likely to grow five times from current 330㎒ for 3G communications to 1,280~1,720㎒ by 2020.

Korea's information ministry expects the decision of WRC-07 after the ITU's approval of WiBro as the international 3G standard will enable WiBro service users to roam around the world, and thereby promote WiBro technology in the global market and boost the export of WiBro equipment.

WiBro Awaits ITU-R Decision on 3G Global Standard

Commercialized in Korea earlier than any other part of the world, WiBro awaits the ITU decision on the 3G global standard upcoming this month.

Unlike CDMA and WCDMA, Mobile WiMAX based on wireless IP network supports Internet access on the move and accommodates a large number of subscribers on minimum investment, which strengthens the prospects of WiBro as the global standard, according to the Ministry of Information and Communication of Korea.

After the 22nd Meeting of ITU-R Working Party 8F held in May in Kyoto, Japan, forwarded the proposal to include IP-OFDMA (Mobile-WiMAX/WiBro) in the existing IMT-2000 standard for approval, WiBro made a big stride to the wider world, explained the Korean information ministry. The final decision will be made at the meeting of SG8, a higher decision-making body than WP8F within ITU-R.

The Korean ministry expects the inclusion of IP-OFDMA in IMT-2000 will boost the use of WiBro and enhance Korea’s leadership in the next generation mobile technology.

The ministry also said ITU World Radio Communication Conference 2007 (WRC-07) in October will fix the 4G frequency allocation. The global standard for IMT-Advanced will be selected by the end of 2010 among candidate-technologies proposed by member countries by July 2009.