Top carrier vows to improve consumer privacy
By Kim Yoo-chul
SK Telecom, the country's biggest mobile carrier, said Thursday that it will invest more in healthcare-oriented business projects to diversify the company's product portfolios.
"This year will be another year for SK Telecom to have more healthcare-related business projects. Our plan to boost health businesses with generating 1 trillion won revenue by 2020 is still effective," said an SK Telecom official.
As faster networks are the backbone to power on Web solutions and services that are related on Internet of Things, SK Telecom has identified healthcare business segment as its one of new growth engines.
The SK Group's telecommunications affiliate bought a space to display its latest Lifeware products in this year's International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, making the company the first to participate in the non-telecom convention.
In a statement, SK Telecom said it exhibited a total of seven products with a three separate category ― video, audio and wellness. Smart-beam HD, Smart Wi-Fi audio, and Aircube are part of them, said the statement.
"We want to diversify our profile beyond telecommunications. The participation of the CES means we have stronger interests of growing healthcare-related businesses," said the official.
According to the company, the demand for medical equipment will rise to 245 trillion won, while it sees the market for medical services to rise to 2100 trillion won. The market size of global telecommunications industry is estimated at 350 trillion won.
But unlike other conventional ones, healthcare businesses have still wall for easier penetration as there are regulatory issues according to governments.
SK Telecom said it plans to team up with relevant institutions and authorities to ease regulations.
SK teams up with the Seoul National University Hospital and SAP of Germany to promote its healthcare solutions, while it manages various healthcare projects in China. The company is eyeing North America as its next step.
Officials said the telecom service provider will be active in putting more effort into protecting consumer privacy and security as its healthcare-oriented services will be based on the Internet of Things (IoT) platform.
"Yes, we understand issues that the emergence of IoT has big privacy and security implications," said another SK official.
IoT is today's mega technology trend. As billions of devices get connected, benefits for users could be immense because the new technology could help to improve global health.
Government officials say connected devices that provide increased convenience and improve health services are also collecting, transmitting, storing and sharing vast amounts of consumer data, some of it highly personal, thereby creating a number of privacy risks.
"As network functionality is the key of an IoT device, we have no option but to keep an eye on moves for privacy and data security issues," said one official.
By Kim Yoo-chul
SK Telecom, the country's biggest mobile carrier, said Thursday that it will invest more in healthcare-oriented business projects to diversify the company's product portfolios.
"This year will be another year for SK Telecom to have more healthcare-related business projects. Our plan to boost health businesses with generating 1 trillion won revenue by 2020 is still effective," said an SK Telecom official.
As faster networks are the backbone to power on Web solutions and services that are related on Internet of Things, SK Telecom has identified healthcare business segment as its one of new growth engines.
The SK Group's telecommunications affiliate bought a space to display its latest Lifeware products in this year's International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, making the company the first to participate in the non-telecom convention.
In a statement, SK Telecom said it exhibited a total of seven products with a three separate category ― video, audio and wellness. Smart-beam HD, Smart Wi-Fi audio, and Aircube are part of them, said the statement.
"We want to diversify our profile beyond telecommunications. The participation of the CES means we have stronger interests of growing healthcare-related businesses," said the official.
According to the company, the demand for medical equipment will rise to 245 trillion won, while it sees the market for medical services to rise to 2100 trillion won. The market size of global telecommunications industry is estimated at 350 trillion won.
But unlike other conventional ones, healthcare businesses have still wall for easier penetration as there are regulatory issues according to governments.
SK Telecom said it plans to team up with relevant institutions and authorities to ease regulations.
SK teams up with the Seoul National University Hospital and SAP of Germany to promote its healthcare solutions, while it manages various healthcare projects in China. The company is eyeing North America as its next step.
Officials said the telecom service provider will be active in putting more effort into protecting consumer privacy and security as its healthcare-oriented services will be based on the Internet of Things (IoT) platform.
"Yes, we understand issues that the emergence of IoT has big privacy and security implications," said another SK official.
IoT is today's mega technology trend. As billions of devices get connected, benefits for users could be immense because the new technology could help to improve global health.
Government officials say connected devices that provide increased convenience and improve health services are also collecting, transmitting, storing and sharing vast amounts of consumer data, some of it highly personal, thereby creating a number of privacy risks.
"As network functionality is the key of an IoT device, we have no option but to keep an eye on moves for privacy and data security issues," said one official.
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