Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Maurice Winn who wrote (92431)	1/24/2001 3:33:49 PM
From: William Hunt	Respond to of 152472

Freetel prepares for wireless Web age Following is the third in a series of stories based on interviews with CEOs of leading Korean and foreign companies - Ed. By Kim Min-hee Staff reporter Being number two in an industry as lucrative and promising as wireless telecom can't be so bad. But for a company that has the potential to be number one, it can become irritating. That is how Korea Telecom Freetel (016), the PCS arm of Korea Telecom and the nation's number two wireless telecom service provider, has been feeling lately, the company head says. "Quite frankly, we're tired of being number two," said Lee Yong-kyoung, 58, CEO and president of Korea Telecom Freetel, in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. It may be a while before KT Freetel can claim the number one position, given that market leader SK Telecom has such a tight grip of the cellular phone market and has been in the business three times as long as the PCS phone service provider. But with a merger with Korea M.com scheduled for May, raising its market share to around 32 percent, and in view of the company's aggressive marketing strategies, KT Freetel is set to become a force to be reckoned with. KT Freetel is projected to post sales of 3 trillion won and gross 350 billion won in short-term net profit this year. With post-merger subscribers totaling 8 million, KT Freetel will also rank among the world's 10 largest telecom operators. According to a report by Boston Consulting Group, the merger will create synergies totaling 5.88 trillion won in the next five years. In particular, 3.3 trillion won will come from "strategic synergies" stemming from an increase in subscribers, 2.5 trillion won from "operational synergies" resulting from efficiency in investments and 80 billion won from "financial synergies" achieved through efficient funding. "We're shooting for the number one position in wireless Internet and customer service this year by forming alliances with high-quality contents providers and providing diversified products and price plans to meet the different tastes of different people," Lee said. Last year, KT Freetel made headlines with "Na," which drew over one million subscribers in less than six months after its launch. A service custom-tailored for the younger generation, part of the product's success is attributed its old-fashioned and somewhat bizarre, though hugely popular, television advertisements. In the wake of "Na"'s popularity, the company hopes to chalk up another success with "Drama," offering services for women, from shopping to medical information. In terms of the wireless Internet, KT Freetel's services have already been giving its customers a hint of what the next generation telecom service will be like. "PersNet (www.n016.com)" is the world's first Internet cum wireless network service that offers more than 800 kinds of contents and services ranging from real-time chatting to e-trading and entertainment. Recently, the company also introduced a new wireless service, "HandiNet," which allows its subscribers to enjoy virtual entertainment without cables or PC monitors. "How we present the so-called 2.5G service, also known as cdma (code division multiple access) 2000-1x, to customers will also determine our fate in the lucrative 3G or IMT-2000 competition," said Lee, adding the importance of the interim wireless service has been shadowed by too much talk about IMT-2000. "Contrary to how it has been viewed in the press, the interim wireless service cdma2000 1x has good business prospects because there will be demand for faster and better telecom service than what is offered now. And it won't be until well after 2002 that IMT-2000 dominates the market," Lee said. Lee said KT Freetel was investing a total of 800 billion won this year toward establishing cdma2000-1x networks as well as upgrading existing networks. "I can assure you that 016 has the highest phone connection rate among mobile phone operators. With the huge investment made, you'll see the quality of calls and data transmission get even better. Just try us," Lee said. KT Freetel also plans to apply Qualcomm's High Data Rate (HDR) technology to its cdma2000-1x networks. HDR is a technology that sends data to Internet networks from CDMA mobile telecom networks without passing through ground stations and switching boards. The technology raises data transmission speeds to as high as 2.4 Mbps, allowing cellular phone users to enjoy moving images, email, Web surfing and e-commerce. "Key words in the industry for this year and years to come will be wireless Internet and multimedia. All our projects and marketing strategies will be made in view of this fact and to secure a leading position in the field," Lee said. In keeping with these trends, Lee noted that the company has recently established a "Multimedia Project Division," by expanding its former Internet business division. BEST WISHES BILL

To: Maurice Winn who wrote (92431)	1/24/2001 4:51:33 PM
From: Dennis O'Bell	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 152472

Je m'en doutais - je tape au toucher et vite (le seul savior-faire appris à l'école secondaire il me semble) et crois-moi, j'etais estropié quand je suis allé bosser en France! Ça allait avec les systemes UNIX, je remappais le clavier... mais la plupart du temps je souffrais. Not many people I worked with there knew how to touch type, they always commented on how I would type (on the remapped keyboard) while looking at something else! :))) But it's a strange thing, when I type I really don't even think about it. BTW, I get the impression that Australia is a little like the US in the sense that the middle ages didn't happen there and they don't have that old-world baggage to carry. Am I right about that at all?