South Korea’s leading broadband and mobile carrier KT Corp. said it will be ready to service fifth-generation (5G) wireless network by September next year in certain parts of South Korea.

In a press conference in central Seoul Tuesday, the telecommunications company said infrastructure will be deployed in PyeongChang about 180 kilometers (110 miles) east of Seoul and its neighboring regions where the 2018 winter Olympics will be held as well as some parts of Seoul.

5G is the next-generation wireless network technology that can deliver data 20 times faster than current mainstream long term evolution (LTE) service. The platform is also necessary to realize virtual reality, three-dimensional multi streaming videos, self-driving vehicles, and delivery drones.

The maximum 5G capabilities are difficult to be achieved in urban areas because of high-rise buildings in early stage, said KT’s Network Vice President Oh Seong-mok. The company is hoping to realize a transmission speed of up to 5 Giga bits per second (Gbps) by early next year.

KT also unveiled its state-of-the-art 5G services including “Hologram Live services” and “Sync View.” Hologram live transmits 3D holographic TV broadcasting remotely through 5G technology. The firm demonstrated the live hologram interview between Ganghwamun and PyeongChange area which are 200 kilometers apart. Sync View is a live video streaming service using an ultra-small wearable camera on a wireless network module. It provides live video from the player’s perspective in ultra-high definition quality. The 5G-based technology is essential to capture the view of the player, especially on a bobsled which travel at very fast speed of up to 153 kilometers per hour, Oh said.

KT has earlier pledged to offer the world’s first commercial service of 5G network in 2019, a year earlier than its initial goal of 2020.

The company hopes its headway in 5G can pull up local technology support companies’ share in the global market to 20 percent from current 4.4 percent.

By Lim Sung-hyun

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]