1X MC CDMA test launch has occurred in Korea.
JohnG
koreaherald.co.kr
A new mobile Internet service allowing data and multimedia files to be sent at a speed 2-10 times faster than
currently available was test-launched yesterday by SK Telecom (SKT), Korea Telecom Freetel (KTF).
At SKT, the new service, known as cdma2000 1X will be available in limited areas in Seoul before becoming
commercially available in 23 major cities. The commercial launch, originally scheduled for October, has been
postponed due to unavailability of wireless handsets that can support the service that can send data wirelessly at a
speed of up to 144kbps.
SKT earlier this week stopped shipment of new wireless handsets in an attempt to bring down its market share to
50 percent as required by the Fair Trade Commission's conditional approval of Skit's merger with the number two
cellular carrier Shinsegi Telecomm.
The company said it expects to have 3 million subscribers to the cdma2000 1X service by 2003. SKT plans to
invest 500 billion won next year, eventually expanding the service to 79 cities.
Korea Telecom Freetel also successfully pilot-launched the new wireless data service, which it calls IS-95C
yesterday. The company said it would offer a trial service in Seoul and surrounding areas starting October before
the commercial launch in December. The service will be expanded to all the major cities in the country in January
2001.
When the related wireless infrastructure is in place next year, wireless data transmission at a speed of
1Mbps will be possible, according to KTF. In addition to the IS-95C service, KTF plans commercial rollout of
HDR (high data rate) service in 2001 that can support mobile data transmission at up to 2Mbps.
LG TeleCom (LGT) is due to launch a trial service of IS-95C in the middle of the month in Seoul and the
surrounding area. The service will be extended to five major cities at the end of the year, the company said.
The wireless operator will spend about 200 billion won until early next year and hopes to attract 200,000
subscribers to the IS-95C service by mid-next year.
IS-95C is an evolution from the existing IS-95A and IS-95B which supports data transmission at 14.4kbps and
64kbps-115.2kbps, respectively.
Although not meeting the transmission speed of 2Mbps specified by the International Telecommunications Union
(ITU) for the upcoming 3G, cdma2000 1X still offers many 3G features at frequencies currently used, 800MHz for
cellular service and 1.7-1.8GHz for PCS services.
Updated: 09/02/2000 |
