Followup 1
"The reality is that all the necessary control can be realised from the periphery of the net. It really does not require a huge centralised control system with billing added on top for good measure. Is there an existence theorem for this alternative approach? Yes! Just take a look at Japan and Korea. They are streets ahead with populations already watching TV and listening to the radio over fibre to the home using IP."
prismspectrum.blogspot.com
"It’s all part of the South Korean government’s very deliberate “Broadband IT Powerhouse Vision 2007” strategy that trickles down to the county’s primary communications service providers. The daring policy objective includes ubiquitous broadband access of 155 megabytes to 5 gigabytes nationally by 2005. Prepared to put its public money where its policy mouth is, the South Korean government has made direct investments of $2 billion in a national backbone network, and provided $100 million in loans to service providers who deployed new local access networks and $600 million to promote digital content. They’ve also committed an additional $30 billion via public/private investment in broadband infrastructure by 2010."
telephonyonline.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 - In Korea, the telecommunications sector was gradually liberalised throughout the 1990s. It is regulated by the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC), established in 1994. MIC has responsibility for approving rates for local service and interconnection services provided by the incumbent. However, the broadband market is an open market, free of regulation and controls over licensing and pricing.
As a condition of complete privatisation, KT has to deliver broadband to all villages in the country i.e. universal service for broadband. The threshold for broadband, at the time of complete privatisation in 2002, was considered to be 1Mbps or higher. As a result, Korea was one of the first countries to implement universal access for broadband.
2 - Korea's broadband policy is closely linked with its general industrial and economic policies. The main economic goal is for GDP per capita to grow to $20,000 and the exploitation and utilisation of ICT, and broadband in particular, are seen as critical to achieving this goal.
The Korean government estimated in 1999 that the cost of developing broadband technology, building the infrastructure and marketing it would be around US$30 billion between 2000 and 2005.
The Korean government published its broadband strategy in 1995. The Korea Information Infrastructure (KII) initiative was a US$24.5 billion project, amongst which the government invested US$1.5 billion.
One aim of the KII initiative, sub-named KII-Private or KII-P, was to stimulate the broadband service market in the 'last mile', mainly through market competition and private sector investment. Facilities-based Service Providers were allowed to enter the market free of entry and price regulation, stimulating competition. Another part of the initiative, KII-Government or KII-G, involved the construction of a national high-speed public backbone network. The backbone was used to deploy broadband services to around 30,000 government and research institutes and around 10,000 schools. The initiative also provided government test beds, KII-Test bed or KII-T, that allowed companies to avoid financial risk while encouraging R&D. The overriding target of the initiative was to provide FTTH connectivity to all households by 2015. This target has been continually revised and upgraded and the current target is to provide 20Mbps connectivity to all homes by the end of 2006 and 50-100Mbps by the end of 2010.
3 - The Korean government's efforts to create an information-based society were strengthened with the announcement of Cyber Korea 21. The purpose of the initiative was to realise the vision of becoming a knowledge-based economy.
The main aims of the initiative were to:
- improve the quality of life for the general public. To do this, the government is providing PC units to schools;
- take general steps to ensure the competitiveness of Korean industries as a whole, such as support for the construction of eCommerce system in steel, shipbuilding and other traditional industries;
- establish an electronic document distribution system to be used by administrative bodies.
The initiative also aimed to reduce the 'digital divide' and, as part of this, free internet access was provided in 3,000 public places, such as post offices and community centres.
More recently, the government has promoted different schemes designed to allow Korea to take a leadership role in emerging technologies, notably the "U-Korea" programme, the "Broadband IT Korea Vision 2007" and the IT 839 strategy.
IT 839 Strategy – This strategy will seek to establish three new major infrastructures: the Broadband Convergence Network (BcN), the Radio Frequency Identification/Ubiquitous Sensor Network (RFID/USN), and the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6). These networks will become the base for eight new services: WiBro, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting, Home Network Service, Telematics Service, RFID Application Service, W-CDMA Service, Terrestrial DTV Service and Internet Phone (VoIP) Service. These services will be available over the converged network and will ensure that internet access is available at any time and in any place.
The network rebuilding project has been dubbed the "U-Korea program" and it is hoped that it will strengthen the relationship between the private and pubic sectors. One target of the U-Korea program is the National Computerisation Agency's stated goal of 100% IPv6 conversion by 2007.
Broadband IT Korea Vision 2007– The main objectives of the Vision 2007 include:
improving administrative service processes, efficiency and transparency through open eGovernment;
strengthening international competitiveness through facilitating informatisation in every industry;
implementing an integrated broadband network and developing IT as a new driver for economic growth in order to achieve the target of US$20,000 national income; and
create a digital welfare society where every citizen can become a leader of the knowledge information society[8].
Initiatives
As well as the aforementioned initiatives, other broadband related initiatives in Korea include:
Public Fund Programme - The government provided low interest loans to Facilities-based Service Providers (FSPs) in order to reduce the financial burden of investing in access networks. In 1999 US$77 million in loans were provided and this was followed in 2000 by another US$77 million for the provision of access networks in small and medium sized cities. As private companies focused on maximising profits by concentrating on densely populated areas, the government shifted its focus to closing the 'digital divide' by giving greater funding for remote areas. As such, a further US$926 million of loans were made available between 2001 and 2005 to provide access networks in rural areas in an attempt to close the 'digital divide'[9].
The Certification Programme for Broadband Buildings - This programme certifies the network availability and speed of connection in new apartments with more than 50 units and building bigger than 3,300m2. Buildings receive a premium, 1st, 2nd or 3rd class certificate depending on whether they provide 100Mbps, 10-100Mbps or 10Mbps broadband connections. More than 1.5 million buildings and apartments had received certificates by February 2005.
Educational Broadcasting System (EBS)– High school education programmes are broadcast over the internet. This has created high demand from parents for high-speed broadband connections for their children to take advantage of the EBS.
IT literacy programmes– The government initiated literacy programmes targeted at traditionally neglected social groups such as the elderly, prisoners, military and housewives. The free or subsidised courses were aimed at stimulating demand for broadband and were particularly successful with the housewives as they traditionally hold the main purchasing power in the household. More than 8.1 million people were trained between 2000 and 2002.
Plan for Promoting ICT Use and Distributing PCs to Children of Low Income Families - Launched in 2001, the plan provides those who can't afford ICT with a PC and discounted internet access[10].
As well as the aforementioned initiatives, the government also provides subsidised broadband access to SMEs.
Incumbent operator
The incumbent operator, Korea Telecom (KT), was formed in December 1981. The government has gradually reduced its share of the company since 1993 and sold its final block of shares in May 2002[11].
International bandwidth
As regards international bandwidth, Korea had the twenty-ninth highest level per inhabitant in the world in 2004, according to theInternational Telecommunications Union (ITU), with around 1.5Mbps per person. Denmark had the most at around 35Mbps per person and the UK had the fourth highest bandwidth at around 13Mbps per person[12].
Socio-cultural factors
Culture has played a large part in the economic development of Korea. Korean culture is based on Confucian values which places a high value on learning and stresses family relationships. Education is perceived as one of the main sources of social advancement. Parents are held socially accountable for their children's success, meaning that children study for very long hours. Status and merit are also regarded as very important, and are to be achieved through personal effort. These cultural values that promote hard work and personal development have been important factors in ICT development.
The government has influenced the broadband market through publishing official documents asking for cooperation from the private sector. Although these are not official orders, the private sector usually tries to follow what the government wants it to do.
A cultural characteristic that has facilitated the take-up of broadband services is the 'copycat syndrome'. If one household subscribes to a broadband service, other households in the neighbourhood will subscribe to an equal or superior service in order to maintain their social standing, even if the service isn't really required. This characteristic is thought to be particularly evident in Korea due to it being a very ethnically and linguistically homogeneous nation, and due to the high importance placed upon status and merit.
IMPORTANT REFERENCE USED: bbwo.org.uk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IMPORTANT REFERENCE USED: prismspectrum.blogspot.com
Ubiquitous Korea
Korea IT Times
Magazine (January 2005/Vol.7)
Cover Story : Along with our story on President Roh Moo-hyun's summit diplomacy, the theme that The korea IT Times has adopted for our January 2005 issue is that of "Ubiquitous Korea", i.e., the advanced leved of mobile communications technology that now characterizes the Korean IT industry. We pursue this theme in an interview with information and communication minister, Chin Dae-je as well as interviews with the commissioners of Korea's three Free Economic Zone authorities (...) + Source here
MIC: In Van of 'U-Korea' Constuction
The Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) has gone a long way toward a 'U-Korea' , that is the construction of a 'U-biquitous Society'.
Minister of Information and Communication Chin Dae-je, said in an interview with Korea IT Times, "As global competition is becoming fiercer than ever before due to a speedy development of IT technology and a rapid change in its environment, the nation needs to make preparations earlier than other countries.
"In particular, it is very important to find out a new strategy to effectively cope with the recent IT mega trend for the nation's second take-off toward a rapid growth, Minister Chin said.
The ubiquitous society refers to a society armed with intelligent networks, up-to-date computer technology, and other advanced infrastructure.
Minister Chin explained, "It means a society where all people can enjoy benefits of state-of-the-art IT at anywhere and anytime. To realize such a society, the government has adopted a new strategy, called the construction of the 'U-Korea' .
In other words, the 'U-Korea' means that the development of IT technology as well as IT service exists not only for growth in the industrial and economic sides, but for life culture revolution that brings about a revolutionary change in the comprehensive national life.
The minister said that to enter into a 'U-Korea' society, a balanced development among three elements of the IT service, including infrastructure and technology, should be made.
In line with this, the ministry has been actively pushing for the "IT839 strategy' in a bid to achieve the 'U-Korea' in the near future.
Minister Chin commented on the construction of 'U-Korea' and the "IT839 strategy in preparation for the ubiquitous era in the following interview with Korea IT Times.
Q: First of all, could you comment on MIC's efforts in preparation for the ubiquitous era that is being frequently mentioned recently?
A: MIC is propelling the construction of the 'U-Korea' through the "IT839 strategy in preparation for the ubiquitous era, a new paradigm of informatization.
The 'U-Korea' means a national strategy to enter into a ubiquitous society where all people can enjoy benefits of state-of-the-art IT through intelligent networks and ubiquitous computing technology.
To become a top-level IT country, it is very important for the country to prepare a foundation for new growth by creating new value added on the basis of established IT performance.
In terms of the IT industry, the government and business circles should pursue a joint strategy to preoccupy the global market by securing related core technologies in an early stage and by actively fostering new IT fields in consideration of the growth potential as well as competitiveness.
In the informatization sector, MIC is also striving to enhance national competitiveness by improving the nation's quality of life and innovating society's interaction with new IT technology development as well as environment improvement.
Through the "IT839 Strategy, the government is exerting its best efforts for creation of services with high value added, construction of infrastructure, and technology development.
Q: What is the meaning of the "IT839 strategy, a core strategy for the construction of the 'U-Korea' And do you expect any tangible results in the IT industry and the national economy through this?
A: The "IT839 strategy refers to a strategy for the development of the IT industry that nurtures eight communication broadcasting services, three state-of-the-art infrastructures (networks), and nine IT new growth engines synthetically.
In the case of the IT industry, the introduction and activation of new services are closely linked with the expansion of investment in infrastructure and the development of state-of-the-art machinery, tools and content industries.
Accordingly, MIC is planning to introduce eight kinds of services, including WiBro, DMB, and Internet telephone, to the field of telecommunication broadcasting service earlier than the nation's foreign competitors.
In addition, the ministry is propelling the "IT839 strategy to produce world top-class products and enhance competitiveness of nine new technologies products, such as next-generation mobile telecommunication, home network, and digital TV. It also plans to attract investment in three infrastructure, such as BcN, U-sensor network, and Ipv6 as a means of bolstering the nation's telecommunication broadcasting service field.
Namely, MIC is making a strong push for the "IT839 strategy as a driving force for growth of the IT industry that is rushing up to an unlimited competition. Like this, the "IT839 strategy is expected to play a great role in driving the nation after 5 to 10 years.
If the "IT839 Strategy's propelled without a failure, the volume of the IT service market will soar from 43.3 trillion won in 2003 to 53.3 trillion won in 2007. The entire IT industry production is also forecast to increase from 209 trillion won in 2003 to 240 trillion won in 2004, and further to 380 trillion won in 2007.
With the anticipating rise of exports in the IT industry from $70 billion in 2004 to $110 billion in 2007, it is expected to play a pivotal role in helping the nation achieve a $20,000 per capita gross domestic product (GDP).
Q: We understand that the "IT839 strategy's a technical roadmap to the 'U-Korea' . Please explain what the "IT839 strategy's and why it is necessary.
A: The "IT839 strategy is a strategy that connects service, infrastructure (networks), and nine new growth engines organically. Through a competition policy, the "IT839 strategy is to induce quality competition and to nurture the world-class products by beefing up the competitiveness of nine IT new growth engines.
In the past, the government created new domestic demands by introducing the CDMA mobile telephone service and created fierce competition among domestic companies. As a result, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics were able to occupy the world market, which had been led by Nokia and Motorola.
Like the CDMA case, the"IT839 strategy is a national project for the IT sector to greatly contribute to attaining $20,000 in per capita GDP by nurturing it as the national economy's new growth engine.
Source here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ DMB Goes Into Full Service This Year
The digital mobile broadcasting (DMB) goes into full service this year. Customers of the service can experience the newly introduced handheld media while related industries concerned with displayers, broadcasting systems and equipment, as well as video contents, are highly expected to contribute to the revitalizing of the nation's economy by creating new markets.
By the year 2010, it is estimated that the DMB industry will create a total of 1.4 trillion won in the domestic market in the service sector and a 1.3 trillion won market related with manufacturing DMB diplayers.
The DMB services, which can be divided into ground-wave and satellite DMBs, will go into service in the first half of this year. In the case of satellite DMB, TU Media of SK Telecom has already been chosen as the service provider and is scheduled to begin broadcasting services on May 1. As a leading partner of a consortium with a capital of 137 billion won, TU Media plans to operate a total of 38 channels that include 14 TV channels and 24 radio channels.
In the case of ground-wave DMB, the service providers for the Seoul metropolitan area will be determined in early March and begin broadcasting in the first half of this year.
While the broadcasting of satellite services will be the second of its kind after Japan, Korea will open the door for the world's first commercial operation of ground-wave DMB broadcasting, thus allowing it to make inroads into both the Chinese and European markets.
As an industry highly anticipated to strengthen the competitive power of the nation after semiconductors and CDMAs, DMB is expected to be a trend-setter of the social and cultural life, bringing about considerable change in the pattern of viewers through the interactive medium.
In the meantime, the Korean Broadcasting Commission recently decided on an overall policy for the selection of ground-wave DMB service providers. The commission will receive applications for a broadcasting license and make final selection of six service providers in early March this year for their operations in the Seoul metropolitan area.
In the manufacturing sector, meanwhile, leading electronics companies such as Samsung, LG Electronics and Perstel are all planning to produce various types of DMB displayers in the first half of this year.
Adoption of Korean standards in the bag
In a recent interview with local media, Yim Chu-hwan, president of Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), stressed that it will be paramount for DMB service providers to access quality contents in order to capture the interest and loyalty of DMB viewers, saying that the services to be delivered by both the satellite and ground-wave are almost identical.
In the meantime, the ground-wave DMB technology developed by ETRI is attracting worldwide attention following its successful trial runs in France, Britain and Brazil. The technology transmits video and audio data based on "Eureka-147", the widely adopted digital and audio broadcasting standard in Europe.
Last year, the World Forum for Digital Audio Broadcasting (World DAB) decided to submit a proposal to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for the adoption of Korean ground-wave DMB as a European standard. In view of the fact that most proposals made by World DAB have been adopted by ETSI, it is regarded by many that the adoption of the Korean technology by ETSI is a foregone conclusion.
Source here
posted by JohnRWilson @ 2:49 PM 0 comments links to this post
DMB (ctd)
Korea IT Times
Magazine (January 2005/Vol.7) > Covery Story
Part1 : DMB & WiBro to Lead Next-Generation Industry in Korea
Yim Chu-hwan, President of the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI)
ETRI Plays a Leading Role in Spread of DMB
Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) and WiBro (Portable Internet) business will boost our hope of attaining a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of $20,000, Yim Chu-hwan, president of the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), said in a special interview with the Korea IT Times, adding that the hottest issue of the IT industry in 2005 seems to be the DMB business.
Noting that Korea has been active in initiating world standards, Mr. Yim pointed out that the government should make the necessary marketing efforts to convince other countries including advanced nations or underdeveloped countries to adopt them.
By doing so, he emphasized that this was the way to export DMB or WiBro terminals or services. In conjunction with this, ETRI has engaged in technological development since 2002 in anticipation of the fact that a mobile TV will emerge as a core service. Along with its R&D efforts, ETRI has been promoting efforts at toward international standardization of DMB services at international trial performances, Mr. Yim said.
As a result, he said that Korean DMB technology has been adopted as the European standards. This means that domestic DMB equipment as well as service companies will be well positioned to make inroads into the world DMB market.
In addition, Korea's DMB international trial performance group has successfully held demonstrations in China, Brazil, Britain, and France, after starting in Bayern, Germany, the site of the 2006 World Cup, in October 2003.
Yim stressed that in 2005 ETRI will also make every effort toward completion of DMB service technology. He said ETRI will take the initiative in promoting the Korean DMB paradigm in world markets. At the same time, ETRI plans to promote its international standardization activities more aggressively with a view to positioning Korean DMB as a global rather than simply a European-affiliated type of technology.
In the following interview with the Korea IT Times, Yim Chu-hwan, president of ETRI, explains ETRI's leading role in preparing for the launch of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting.
Q: First, please explain the concept of DMB.
A: In a word, DMB is a mobile broadcasting receiver that enables the user to see and hear TV broadcasting while moving or traveling.
Moreover, WiBro, to begin in 2006, is a type of portable Internet. Accordingly, a MDB user will be able to use Internet while on then move.
Q: What is ETRI's role in relation to DMB and what sort of hardware as well as services will be developed by ETRI?
A: Above all, ETRI won's spare any effort in the form of technical support to enable DMB services to be commercialized as early as possible. Just about everyone in the world is used to mobile communications. Once TV broadcasting becomes available in a mobile format, the response from the market will be explosive!
The number of DMB subscribers at home is expected to grow rapidly with a yearly rise of 191 percent, while the total number of subscribers forecast to surge from 400,000 in 2005 to over 10 million in 2010. Overall, the outlook seems very positive.
To date, DMB technology is being developed as an Audio & Video (AV) medium, with strong emphasis on the faithful recreation of voice and image. Having an eye on the fact that DMB technology also is a digital technology, ETRI has already embarked on an R&D program to make an all-round information service available by uniting state-of-the-art IT technologies.
Q: What kind of impact do you think DMB will have on industry and society in general?
A: Once DMB succeeds in making its way into the European market, its market will expand greatly with the 2006 FIFA Germany World Cup providing the momentum. Once it catches on in Germany it will just be a matter of time before the same happens in the surrounding countries of Britain, Italy and Switzerland. We envisage something similar happening in China once the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics gets underway.
With this kind of impetus from the opening of the European and Chinese markets, the world DMB terminal market is forecast to expand by 137 percent per annum to $3 billion by 2012.
The spread of DMB technology will lead to the exports of terminals, application solutions as well as contents. Accordingly, its economic ripple effect is unlikely to be small as the diffusion of DMB technology is expected to enhance Korea's relative importance in the world communication and broadcasting fusion market. Once DMB service is commercialized, it will improve convenience and quality of life for many since people will be able to access broadcasting service irrespective of location.
Q: What will be the effects of its advance into overseas markets?
A: To obtain the most desirable results, the industry as well as the government should embark upon an aggressive marketing effort to persuade other countries to adopt Korean standardization.
In this regard, we understand that President Roh Moo-hyun and Minister Chin Dae-je of the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) have made many efforts to convince foreign countries to adopt DMB as their broadcasting mode during their overseas visits.
Now that DMB broadcasting equipment is cheaper than current equipment, developing countries will be able to cut down on expenses sharply. In the years ahead, DMB will be the broadcasting mode of choice for audiences of sporting events.
Q: How do you rate the prospects of the domestic DMB market?
A: I think that DMB catch on once full-scale broadcasting commences during the first half of the year.
It is important to create a climate whereby foreign governments will feel comfortable using this standardization, and here obviously is a role for diplomacy by the Korean government. DMB and WiBro will be the two greatest sources of wealth in the not-to-distant future.
Q: What are major business projects for ETRI in 2005?
A: In 2005, the core of ETRI's research and management activities will be the 'nine IT new growth engines' project designed to boost the value added of the IT industry. They include next-generation mobile telecommunications, digital TV/broadcasting, home networks, IT SoC, embedded S/W, S/W solutions as well as digital content, next-generation PCs, and telematics To make a total of 11 are an additional two: Backbone Concentrator Node (BcN) routers and Ubiquitous-Sensor Networks (USN).
These are new fields of technology through which Korea aims to achieve its goal of a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of $20,000.
DMB and WiBro technologies that have succeeded in their trial performances, and are the fruit of the research that developed the 'nine IT new growth projects.' |
