KT plans to expand investment in data
.jpg?w=728)
KT president Pyo Hyun-myung introduces the company’s new business plans in the second half at its main office in downtown Seoul, Monday. / Courtesy of KT
By Kim Yoo-chul
A senior executive at KT said it will boost its spending on networks to help customers get high-quality digital content at an affordable price.
“The amount of data for clients using unlimited voice calling service will increase by two-fold from July 1. KT will also offers more discounts,” said KT president Pyo Hyun-myung.
“KT expects some 10 million customers will benefit from the scheme. We estimate that customers can save by up to 35,500 won on a monthly basis thanks to the additional services,” he said in a news conference at its main office in downtown Seoul.
According to the executive, KT has been asked to offer high-speed networks-related services at a competitive price amid a flurry of data-intensive devices.
“What consumers want is to have more data, membership and content at cheaper cost,” he told reporters, Monday.
The announcement comes a few days after its biggest rival SK Telecom launched the world’s first commercial LTE-Advanced (A) network, along with the first phone running on the fastest network technology _ the Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE-A.
“KT has the world’s first-class data technology. Although we’ve decided to offer additional services, it’s unlikely that increased data traffic will have a negative impact,” said Pyo, who is considered as the right-hand man of its chairman and CEO Lee Suk-chae.
Pyo underestimated the LTE-A service by its rival SK Telecom as he insisted that the LTE-A service is only being offered to clients in limited areas.
The nation’s three major carriers including the smallest LG Uplus have expanded investments in faster networks.
They said that they will participate in the auction of new radio frequencies in April organized by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, said company officials.
KT claims that it will get the license to operate the 1.8-gigahertz (GHz), a golden spectrum, while SK and LG Uplus are saying that if the approval is granted then it will hurt fair market competition as KT is already using that spectrum as its main network for LTE services.