(Korean) Portals spruce up wireless Internet services
Korea's major portals are beefing up wireless Internet services in a bid to secure a share in the fast-evolving market spurred by the growth of mobile handsets and PDA (personal digital assistant).
Daum Communications Corp., a Kosdaq-listed portal, offers its flagship e-mail and cyber community services on the mobile network as part of efforts to secure an initiative outside of the broadband Internet, its traditional turf.
Daum's wireless service allows subscribers to obtain automated notification about the delivery of emails and messages via PDA and mobile handsets. In addition, users are also allowed to write emails and send them through the mobile network.
Daum's wireless Hanmail service is now available at SK Telecom, the country's largest mobile carrier, and KTF, the No.2 player. LG Telecom is also set to introduce a similar wireless Daum service in early February.
Daum's instant messenger is also poised to enter the mobile handset and PDA platform and KTF subscribers can access Daum Cafe cyber-community service via the wireless Internet network.
Freechal, a Web community service operator, is also scrambling to strengthen its wireless presence in the PDA-based platform.
Freechal aims to attract about 100,000 subscribers who will use wireless community services via Compaq's PDA by the end of next month.
The venture startup also formed alliances with Cyberbank, Compaq Korea and other solutions providers in order to bolster its PDA services.
MSN, a Web portal operated by Microsoft Korea, is currently offering 10 major services such as chatting, Hotmail, bulletin boards and stock information. MSN plans to introduce wireless instant messenger, news, banking and travel in March, utilizing Microsoft's Net platform.
The move by portals for wireless Internet services came as the country's three mobile carriers pinned high hopes on the introduction of cdma2000 1x EV-DO (evolution data only) during the World Cup period this year.
Currently, three major wireless carriers are offering cdma2000 1x, the so-called 2.5 generation service armed with up to 144Kbps data transmission. The EV-DO upgrade is forecast to raise the speed dramatically to 2.4Mbps, allowing subscribers to enjoy multimedia content on the go.
KTF, SK Telecom, and LG Telecom plan to offer cdma2000 1x EV-DO services before June this year when the Korea-Japan World Cup soccer championships start as part of efforts to accentuate their leading position in the high-speed wireless Internet market.
(insight@koreaherald.co.kr)
2002.01.12
koreaherald.co.kr |
