By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff Reporter
KTF, Korea's second-largest mobile operator, is eyeing global markets with its flagship third-generation services, called high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA).
``We are determined to find new cash cows in the global markets as the domestic demand for mobile services has reached saturation,'' KTF Vice President Ahn Tae-hyo said.
``In particular, we have cornerstone assets to wade into overseas markets _ expertise and know-how in the HSDPA services,'' said Ahn who leads the KTF global business team.
HSDPA enables people to exchange large amounts of data through cellular phones. Thanks to this, video calls are one of main features specific to the next-generation platform.
Seoul-based KTF is far ahead of the pack as far as HSDPA is concerned. After launching commercial services midway through last year, KTF expanded its coverage across the country in March.
It boasts the world's first nationwide HSDPA services, which are even faster than its cross-town rival SK Telecom, the business bellwether, which joined the HSDPA bandwagon months later.
``We amply demonstrated our commitment to HSDPA-based global business by joining the Conexus Mobile Alliance last year and leading the new Pay-Buy Mobile business this year,'' Ahn said.
``Via the two high-profile alliances, we will let global citizens experience advanced mobile applications. That will help our advance there,'' he said.
Conexus is designed to strengthen partnerships in 3G services in the pan-Asian areas involving nine operators.
Pay Buy Mobile is the initiative aimed at using mobile phones for payments at point of sale through 3G phones. A total of 24 carriers, which cover billions of mobile users, are taking part in the project.
KTF is spearheading the scheme and plans to test run the new payment system by launching an end-to-end trial in October along with all the players in the value chain.
In addition, KTF is joining up with top Japanese player NTT DoCoMo in 3G and has acquired a 2.9-percent stake in Indonesian wireless carrier PT Mobile-8 Telecom.
``As we set a record in attracting customers on the local market, we hope to duplicate the success on the global landscape down the road,'' Ahn said.
Indeed, KTF is famous for its early success here. Although it was a latecomer on the mobile scene, the firm secured more than 9 million subscribers within three years of commencing services in 1997.
Later, the Guinness Book of World Records registered KTF as the mobile telephony service provider that attracted the largest number of members in the shortest time.
Currently, KTF boasts a 12 million-plus customer pool and its 3G user pool is also increasing at a breakneck pace as more than a half million members signed up for the offerings over the past three months.
KTF looks to attract 2.7 million users to the HSDPA services this year under the business alliance with its parent company KT, the nation's biggest telecommunications company.