Countdown starts for 4G services
By Yoon Ja-young
The era of fourth generation (4G) mobile services is coming soon, with the launch of 4G smartphones and networks. Local mobile carriers are to cater to smartphone users with either long-term evolution (LTE) or WiBro for 4G communications.
4G phone, network launching
HTC, the Taiwanese mobile handset manufacturer, is launching EVO 4G+, a WiBro smartphone based on the Android operating system, along with Flyer 4G, a WiBro tablet, in the Korean market on July 1. It will be supplied to KT, the country’s leading telecommunications company. EVO 4G+ is the first 4G smartphone to be launched in the country. Since KT has already set up WiBro networks in 82 cities and major highways around the country with operation beginning in March, the only thing it lacked to start 4G services were handsets.
LTE networks are also being set up. LG Uplus is setting up equipment to start commercial LTE services in Seoul and the wider capital district, Busan and Gwangju from next month. Currently it is testing the LTE network for optimization. Then, the network will be set up in most of the major cities by the end of September, and the nationwide commercial LTE services will begin within one year.
“We have been aiming at a swift conversion to LTE since two years ago. Hence, we set up multimode stations and digital gap fillers, which easily accept 4G LTE, while setting up its 2G and 3G services.” a representative for LG Uplus said.
The country’s smallest carrier was in a losing game in 3G services. As it wasn’t allocated the 2.1 GHz bandwidth, the global standard for 3G services, it couldn’t supply Apple’s globally popular iPhones to subscribers.
It is betting on 4G services to turn the game around. It is investing 1.25 trillion won through next year for LTE networks alone, and the entire investment this year will be 1.7 trillion won, the biggest annual investment ever.
SK Telecom, the country’s mobile kingpin, is to start commercial LTE services in Seoul and its vicinity from next month. It plans to complete LTE networks in major cities by the first half the next year, and complete a nationwide network by 2013. KT also plans to commercialize LTE services in November, and set up a nationwide LTE network by 2013.
LTE handsets, however, are still not available. Local manufacturers are scheduled to launch LTE smartphones here in late September at the earliest. It is, however, possible to enjoy high-speed LTE with laptops or tablets by using bridges, which converts LTE into Wi-Fi.
4G to upgrade smart life
The terms such as 2G, 3G, and 4G come from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an agency existing under the United Nations, which sets requirements for each generation of wireless technology. It requires that 4G technology provides a download speed of 1 Gbps for stationary use and 100 Mbps while moving.
Neither LTE nor WiBro satisfies this requirement. LTE offers 75 Mbps download speed when used while moving, and for WiBro, it is 40 Mbps. Hence, they are sometimes called 3.9 G, instead of 4G, but the telecommunication industry generally calls both of them 4G.
Even so, WiBro and LTE are expected to bring huge changes to smart life. As they offer download speeds of around three to five times faster than the current 3G services, it would take only 1 minute and 25 seconds to download an 800 MB movie with LTE services. The speedy download means more services will be available with smartphones. For example, users will be able to access high definition video while moving in a car or play games that aren’t available on smartphones now due to the huge data size.
WiBro vs. LTE
WiBro is short for Wireless Broadband, a local version of Mobile WiMax. Korea succeeded in the commercialization of the technology for the first time. It offers a download speed of 40 Mbps.
LTE, meanwhile, was named so to be an evolution from 3G. Hence, it can link old 3G networks for services, thus saving investment and operational costs. It offers a 75 Mbps download speed. It was chosen by major mobile carriers around the world as the standard 4G technology and commercial LTE services are currently available in Sweden, Norway, and some cities in Japan.
KT, which is adopting WiBro for now, says that WiBro has strength over LTE. It says that it will take some time until the full launch of commercial LTE services. Even if the networks are set up, LTE handsets will only be available after a few months. The first LTE handsets won’t be attractive, according to KT, as it will be dual band and thus likely to be bigger. KT will also be offering commercial LTE services in November and set up a nationwide LTE network by 2013, but until then, it will be using WiBro.
SK Telecom says the size of phones doesn’t matter in the era of smartphones. People used to prefer small, slim phones in the past but now they want bigger screens. As there will be enough room to store dual band components, there wouldn’t be many negative effects on the design.
“There will be a diverse range of LTE handsets available in the market as many global carriers choose it as 4G technology. Both handsets and devices for WiBro, meanwhile, are likely to be expensive,” said an SK Telecom representative.