South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) announced it would establish 5G network connections to the domestic rural areas. Under the agreement, three leading South Korean mobile service providers—KT Corp., LG Uplus Corp., and SK Telecom Co.—would team up to develop a 5G network system and deliver high-speed connectivity.
Specifically, the three telecommunications companies would provide 5G connections to 131 remote farm and coastal communities across the country. The project would encompass a slew of provinces, with LG Uplus taking over constructions in Jeollabuk, Jeollanam, and Jeju Province. Moreover, KT and SKT would partner to develop networks around Gyeonggi Province’s rural areas, while KT and LG Uplus would undertake Gangwon Province locations.
Additionally, SKT would handle Chungcheongnam Province and Sejong and Incheon cities, while KT would manage Gyeongsangbuk Province’s operations. Meanwhile, KT and SKT would partner for the Chungcheongbuk and Gyeongsangnam provinces. As MSIT stated, the government and the three companies selected these towns and areas with their population density in mind. MSIT also added that they would jointly ensure the shared 5G service would provide the users’ needed stability and reliability.
Bridging the 5G Gap
“Recently, due to the Corona 19, non-face-to-face communication and digital transformation have accelerated throughout society, so a fast and stable network is more important than anything this time,” said Choi Ki-Young, MSIT’s Minister. Choi also noted that aside from improving the domestic 5G industry and accessibility, the partnership demonstrates strong cooperation between the three companies.
According to MSIT, the project comes from South Korea’s goal to expand and apply its latest technologies to more locations. The country also installed 5G equipment in major cities as part of its plan to create a nationwide 5G coverage. Primarily, the collaboration between KT, LG Uplus, and SKT aims to close the 5G gap between urban and rural communities. Thanks to this partnership, rural residents would be able to access carrier networks previously unavailable in their regions.
During this year’s fourth quarter, MSIT and the three companies plan to test the network’s sharing and management system. MSIT also expects the telecom operators to complete and commercialize the rural 5G network by 2024’s first half. Last year, South Korea’s 5G network speed increased to 690.47 Mbps, providing a 90.99% connection stability.
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