A week in tech

Korea

Internet
• SK Telecom said it is ready to launch EVDO network-based wireless Internet service in Vietnam in the second half of this year. It’s also looking domestically and globally into its wireless Internet and content platform. SK Telecom said it has decided to install WiPi in the mobile handsets it would produce in Vietnam via a local joint venture with S-Phone. The company said it plans to invest $280 million dollars in building a nationwide network in Vietnam across major cities, aiming to boost the customer base from some 300,000 to 1 million by the end of this year. The company said it is now optimizing WiPi standard for service in Vietnam, and is talking with content providers including real-time video and game firms for different offerings. Content developers are upbeat about the adoption of WiPi for service in Vietnam, which came after the earlier arrangement with U.S.-based MVNO Helio. SK Telecom also plans to outsource HLR and AC equipment among domestic gear makers, and it may spend up to W10 billion ($10.6 million) on equipment depending on expansion of EVDO networks. EVDO or Evolution Data Only, Evolution Data Optimized is a fast wireless broadband access (3G) without needing a WiFi hotspot.

Mobile/Wireless
• KTF said it is making some strong investments in a bid to launch next-generation mobile phone services earlier than what it originally disclosed. The company sees WCDMA as making the playing field even for companies. KTF originally planned to establish a high- speed network in 45 cities nationwide by June. This was increased to 84 cities by the end of this year; a move the company said increased costs from W510 billion ($541 million) to W780 billion ($827.4 million). A top official of KTF said the company is taking such aggressive action because it expects that W-CDMA will occupy more than 90 percent of the market in the future. In December, KTF and DoCoMo signed a deal to cooperate in network expansion, global roaming, research and development, and content sharing. DoCoMo has a 10-percent stake in KTF.

• Mobile game firms are reportedly rushing to form partnerships with local publishing companies, wireless operators and content providers in key overseas markets, expecting shipments to increase by twofold or even more this year. Com2us said it recently registered a Chinese joint venture Yangkwang Mobile as service provider. Moai Technology formed a consortium with Daum Communication and Japanese game firm Segasami in a move to expand into the Chinese market. Web ENG Korea formed a China-based Internet service provider SinoVoice to provide content. Gamevil said it has signed a deal with a wireless operator in the U.S. The company plans to introduce its own brand in overseas markets.

Media, Entertainment and Gaming
• KT announced that it is setting up a fund worth W25 billion ($26.5 million) after it took over Sidus, a movie contents maker, in 2005. Industry observers are saying this fund is going to have an impact on KT's influence over the existing infra digital cinema business of movie distribution contents. It is expected that KT affiliates, including Sidus, will jointly invest in the fund, with the KT group assuming a 60-percent stake of the fund. With the founding of the fund, KT is also seen working with multiplex chain operators to take the leading position in the entire process, from content production and distribution.

Telecommunications
• LGT remains the only mobile carrier in Korea that lives on 2G services. Despite this, LGT announced that it has achieved the overall customer quality improvement on the basis of the proportion of its basic rate in sales revenue, and of its sales structure being back on track. The company said that for the first quarter, its sales revenue in service hit W722.4 billion ($763.4 million), and net income of W105.2 billion ($111.1 million). Sales revenue was up 14.9 percent year on year and up 1.5 percent quarter on quarter.

storage