KT links remote island with GiGA network

Choi Yeong-ik, fifth from left, executive vice president of the corporate relations division at KT; Kang Sung-joo, fourth from left, general manager of the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning; and other officials celebrate the opening of “GiGA Island” that offers super-fast Internet connections at Imjado in Sinan-gun, South Jeolla Province, Tuesday. / Courtesy of KT

By Bahk Eun-ji

IMJADO, South Jeolla Province ― KT, the nation’s second largest mobile carrier, has opened the “KT GiGA Island” center to offer GiGA Internet for residents of Imjado. The remote southwestern island is in Sinan County, which itself consists of 121 inhabited islands and 719 uninhabited islands. Big islands among them are Imjado and Bigeumdo; Imjado is 345 kilometers south of Seoul.

KT said Imjado is the first among other remote islands to experience the high-speed Internet by utilizing the company's GiGA infrastructure.

“We concluded that telecom technology is the best way to help residents in remote areas overcome the digital divide, and GiGA infrastructure will provide the right answer,” said Choi Young-ik, Executive Vice-President of KT’s Corporate Relations Division.

To move the project forward, the carrier signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Sinan County for the project.

The creation of the ‘KT GiGA Island’ center is in line with KT's efforts to improve competiveness in telecommunications and part of its initiative to contribute to society by helping narrow the gap of the digital divide.

There are about 400 primary and secondary school students among the 3,700 total residents in Imjado. The students have been provided with “KT Dream School Global Mentoring” and “IT supporters” programs organized by the company.

Foreign students from 18 countries also became mentors to 20 students on the island to help them learn foreign languages and make cultural exchanges.

It also opened "GiGA Sarangbang," offering GiGA ultra-high definition (UHD) televisions and video conference system so that the residents could enjoy cultural and convenience facilities.

CEO Hwang is leading the drive to increase its stake in ultra-fast Internet service and related solutions.

GiGA Internet is three times faster than the existing broadband long-term evolution advanced (LTE-A) network. Armed with 1.3 gigabit-per-section (Gpbs) fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) capabilities, the GiGA Internet will be 10 times faster than the Internet that is now in place.

It will also be able to exhibit holographic images and content that runs on a three-dimensional interface. The GiGA internet service is part of KT’s efforts to expand its presence in both global and domestic information, communication and technology (ICT) market.