Lg Telecom May Adopt Google Platform for 3g Data Services

SEOUL -(Dow Jones)- LG Telecom may adopt Google's Android mobile operating system for its third-generation wireless data services, said the South Korean company's chief executive Thursday.

"We're adopting an open-standard software platform for our 3G data services and Google and other companies have already shown interest in us," Jung Il-Jae told Dow Jones Newswires on the sidelines of a ceremony launching its new data services.

"We're willing to talk with any foreign carrier and content provider to help spread mobile Internet services," Jung said.

Android is an open-standard software platform for mobile phones developed by Google.

LG Telecom, South Korea's third-largest mobile carrier by revenue, said Thursday it's launching "OZ," a third-generation data service that allows subscribers faster access to the Internet and surfing on their mobile phones.

LG is offering the service through its advanced network called EVDO Revision A, a technology competing with rivals' high-speed downlink packet access, or HSDPA, services.

"The new service won't be a financial burden for us as the rollout of Revision A network costs only a third of that of HSDPA," Jung said.

LG Telecom said in December it will invest KRW346.7 billion ($355 million) to roll out an advanced wireless network in the first half of 2008.

The spending is part of its 2008 capital expenditure plan of KRW700 billion.

-By In-Soo Nam, Dow Jones Newswires; 822-721-0583; In-Soo.Nam@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

Posted to the site on 3rd April 2008

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