HSDPA Launch in South Korea

South Korea's KTF has launched a HSDPA wireless network in Seoul and cities across South Korea using wireless broadband technology from LG-Nortel, a joint venture of LG Electronics and Nortel. The new 3.5 G HSDPA, handset-based service is being launched with two handset models in the initial deployment - including the first HSDPA phone from LG Electronics, the LG-KH1000. A further four to five handsets are planned later in the year.

KTF's HSDPA mobile communications will be rolled out in 50 cities across South Korea beginning June 30. LG-Nortel is the primary network supplier and is the exclusive vendor for 34 cities including the vast Seoul metropolitan area which alone accounts for almost 50 percent of the total population of Korea. It is estimated that 80 percent of the country's population will be able to access the service by the end of August 2006. A further 34 cities will be added by year-end, raising that figure to over 90 percent of the population, according to KTF estimates.

The two HSDPA handsets being launched will also support universal integrated circuit (IC) cards, allowing access to secure transactions for transportation, membership, mobile banking and credit card services.

KTF's HSDPA wireless network can deliver services at download speeds up to 14.4Mbps. The introduction of LG-Nortel's HSUPA upgrade, planned for early 2007, will increase uplink speeds to 5.8 Mbps, improving performance for services requiring the high-speed upload of data."

Posted to the site on 4th July 2006