SKT, KT push for faster Wi-Fi network

By Yoon Sung-won

SK Telecom and KT are accelerating competition to offer faster Wi-Fi network services.

The telecom companies said that these services will provide users with faster and more stable mobile connections, complementing the new data rate plans that charge based on the amount of used data capacity.

SK Telecom, the nation’s largest telecom company, said Sunday it has developed a new Wi-Fi technology called “Multi User-Multi Input Multi Output (MU-MIMO),” which can triple the data transfer speed.

“The nation’s first development of the MU-MIMO technology will dramatically boost the Wi-Fi speed, enhancing our customers’ convenience in using the wireless network,” said SK Telecom Network Technology R&D Center Senior Vice President Park Jin-hyo said. “Adding to the MU-MIMO technology, we will continue to come out with new network technologies and services.”

The new technology makes Wi-Fi access points to transmit data to multiple users at the same time. Unlike the “Single-User” MIMO technology, the new one can prevent network slowdown even when multiple users simultaneously connect to an access point.

SK Telecom said that it is also developing new Wi-Fi access point equipment that can support up to 1.7 gigabits-per-second (Gbps) data transfer speed, up from 1.3 Gbps.

The company plans to roll out the new equipment and the new technology in the latter half of this year, starting from urban areas with high data traffic. Customers will be able to use the improved Wi-Fi network once handset makers launch smartphones that support the faster speed, the company said.

Olleh GiGA WiFi

KT, the nation’s leading fixed-line operator, said the demand for faster Wi-Fi networks has expanded as more mobile subscribers are using the new data rate plans that charge based on the amount of used data capacity.

With the faster gigabit-class Wi-Fi networks installed at home and offices, customers can use data-heavy services such as video streaming, mobile games and application updates without worrying about extra charges, the company said.

Reflecting such high demand, KT said Friday its paid Wi-Fi service dubbed “Olleh GiGA WiFi Home” has attracted more than 100,000 subscribers, three months after its launch.

This service provides unlimited data transfer with up to 867 megabits-per-second (Mbps) speed, the company said. This is three times faster than the latest tri-band long-term evolution advanced network.

According to a recent survey by the state-run Korea Internet & Security Agency, 92.4 percent said they use mobile Internet access the most at home. The survey also showed that 83.7 percent picked the Wi-Fi as the most sought-after Internet access method.

“With the new data rate plans released in the market, more customers mull over how to use their monthly data package economically,” said KT’s Internet business division head Lee Seong-hwan.