Commercial WCMA Service Likely To Be Launched In First Quarter
english.etnews.co.kr
Friday, January 07, 2005
By Kim Won-suk
As wireless communication service providers and leading mobile phone makers reached an agreement on the pending issue of intellectual property rights of handover technology, commercial 3G WCDMA service will likely be launched in the first quarter of this year at the latest.
According to industry sources, mobile handset makers such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics tentatively agreed with wireless communication carriers, SK Telecom and KTF, to settle the issue of intellectual property rights of handover technologies by sealing 'cross license' contracts. The handover technology allows to make seamless communications between heterogeneous networks such as WCDMA and CDMA networks.
SK Telecom, however, agreed with the two mobile handset makers to further discuss the said intellectual property rights before signing a final contract. "The issue of patents of handover technology is now resolved in principle. As for the subject of royalties for our technologies related to WCDMA networks and handsets, however, the company will further discuss with handset makers," said Jeong Tae-cheol, executive director at SK Telecom.
Now that the hurdle to commercial WCDMA service is initially removed, wireless communication carriers will begin investing into networks while handset makers gearing up for rolling out products in March. The Electronics and Telecommunication Research Institute (ETRI) and the Telecommunication Technology Association (TTA) will accelerate adoption of handover technology as standard of the nation.
"The agreement on the issue of patents will facilitate development of the handover technology as standard of the nation. We will take initiative in proposing the handover technology to be adopted as the international standard so that it will be widely used in other countries,” said Dr. Song Pyeong-jung at the ETRI.
SK Telecom plans to launch the commercial WCDMA service in March in Seoul and the metropolitan region using handsets made by Samsung Electronics that can support handover functions, after conducting pilot service later this month. It will also begin selling in March dual band dual mode (DBDM) handsets that enable users to make video phone calls.
To enhance stability of handset that can support automatic roaming between WCDMA and CDMA networks, Samsung Electronics is working on eliminating bugs found in the course of developing products.
Targeting businessmen who frequently travel to foreign countries, KTF plans to roll out WDMA service in the first quarter using single band single mode WCDMA phones. In cooperation with Samsung Electronics, KTF will also distribute DBDM handsets in the third quarter, while expanding WCDMA wireless networks from 9 major cities including Seoul now to 17 cities during this year. |
