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| Executives from Britain's top mobile carrier Everything Everywhere test SK Telecom's public safety long-term evolution technology during their visit to a demo site in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, June 8. / Courtesy of SK Telecom |
By Yoon Sung-won
SK Telecom said Sunday it has established a demonstration network for its public safety long-term evolution (PS-LTE) service in Gangwon Province.
As the nation's largest mobile carrier has completed preparations to demonstrate and promote its PS-LTE technologies, it said it will seek deals not only for the national project by the Korean government but also in overseas countries.
"SK Telecom's disaster network technologies have been globally recognized and drawn interest, executives from Everything Everywhere (EE), Britain's largest telecom company, have come to Korea to test them," SK Telecom's network business division head Shim Sang-soo said in a statement. "Based on the experience gained in establishing the demonstration network, we will actively promote our technologies and enter markets where governments are considering introducing the PS-LTE technologies."
Earlier last week, KT said it has completed establishing its own demonstration PS-LTE network in the same region for the government's trial project to prepare to launch a nationwide public security network service before the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
In a state of disaster, a PS-LTE network is designed to quickly transfer multimedia information such as high-resolution photos and videos between related government departments and agencies such as fire departments, police, rescue teams and control centers through high-speed LTE networks to support more efficient relief activities.
SK Telecom said it has passed all functional qualification tests and approval processes administered by the Ministry of Public Safety and Security, wrapping up the establishment project of PS-LTE networks in the Gangneung and Jeongseon regions it has pushed for since October last year.
The company said it has built mobile base stations and established an emergency recovery system to provide temporary networks in case network facilities are destroyed by natural disasters. These technologies have been certified by the Telecommunications Technology Association for compatibility and security, it said.
SK Telecom also said it has stocked up PS-LTE handsets to provide to government agencies.
In terms of technologies, the telecom company said it will introduce a real-time group communication technology called "Group Communication System Enablers Push-To-Talk (GCSE PTT)" and LTE routers and repeaters to extend wireless network coverage.
The GCSE PTT technology was demonstrated by the telecom company during the Mobile World Congress 2016 event in Barcelona in February.
"This technology has drawn great interest from around the globe as an efficient real-time communication system among rescue workers is essential in securing the golden time in dealing with massive natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis," SK Telecom said.
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