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Tag: Telecommunication

  • Malaysia and Timor-Leste Amplify Alliance in Telecommunication & Media Through Landmark MoUs

    Malaysia and Timor-Leste Amplify Alliance in Telecommunication & Media Through Landmark MoUs

    Malaysia and Timor-Leste have taken significant strides in bolstering their collaboration in telecommunications and media. This progress is marked by the endorsement of two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), which highlight their joint dedication to enhancing regional interconnectedness and collaboration.

    The MoUs were endorsed by a host of key figures from both nations. From Malaysia, it was Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, and from Timor-Leste, Transport and Communications Minister Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu and State Secretary for Social Communication Expedito Loro Dias Ximenes.

    A Milestone in Bilateral Relations

    In a joint proclamation, the Communications Ministry of Malaysia, Transport and Communications Ministry of Timor-Leste, and the State Secretariat for Social Communication hailed the agreements as a landmark in bilateral ties. They serve as a testament to the enduring friendship and mutual faith between the two nations. This relationship has been strong since Malaysia was one of the first countries to acknowledge Timor-Leste’s independence in 2002.

    The statement further highlighted that both countries reaffirmed their mutual commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation and fostering closer people-to-people connections. The two nations also expressed excitement at the prospect of collaborating in creating a more interconnected, robust, and forward-thinking Southeast Asian region.

    Memorandums of Understanding

    The first MoU, which focuses on telecommunications cooperation, outlines the intention of both countries to fortify their telecom infrastructure, improve digital connectivity, and share technical expertise. The agreement’s overall objective is to fuel mutual growth in telecommunications to support sustainable progress and digital inclusion.

    The second MoU, which emphasizes information and media development, encourages professional collaboration between the media sectors of both countries. This includes initiatives for exchanging information, sharing news, and implementing capacity-building programs for media practitioners.

    Questions & Answers

    What are the key objectives of the MoUs between Malaysia and Timor-Leste?
    The agreements aim to strengthen telecommunications infrastructure, enhance digital connectivity, promote professional collaboration between media sectors, and foster closer people-to-people ties between the two countries.

    Who were the key figures involved in the endorsement of the MoUs?
    The MoUs were signed by Malaysia’s Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Timor-Leste’s Transport and Communications Minister Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu, and State Secretary for Social Communication Expedito Loro Dias Ximenes.

    What is the significance of these agreements for the relationship between the two nations?
    These MoUs are seen as a milestone in bilateral relations between Malaysia and Timor-Leste, reflecting the long-standing friendship and mutual trust between the two countries. They also testify to the countries’ shared commitment to regional connectivity and cooperation.

  • New Zealand bans Huawei from 5G mobile network

    New Zealand bans Huawei from 5G mobile network

    From offering mobile payment services such as WePay and Alipay to hiring front-desk staff proficient in Mandarin, the New Zealand Chinese Travel and Tourism Association was not short of advice for Kiwi tourism operators on how to benefit from an influx of mainland Chinese visitors to New Zealand this year.

    “Chinese tourists enjoy spontaneous travel so there are a lot of last minute bookings. For businesses who’d like to attract Chinese tourists, this is the major challenge for them,” association chairman Simon Cheung said in a promotional video.

    But preparations for the 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism – a campaign by both governments to strengthen economic and bilateral ties – were cast in doubt when China postponed the launch event, which was expected to take place in Wellington next week. Huawei is banned, but where is the backlash in New Zealand?

    New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday acknowledged that the country’s relationship was complex and not without challenges, but dismissed talk there was a rift. But she revealed that dates for her first official trip to China, planned for the end of last year, still had not been finalised.

    “I have been issued with an invitation to visit China, that has not changed. We continue to find dates that would work,” she said.

    Her admission fuelled concerns from opposition parties and the media that ties, already tense after Ardern’s government blocked Chinese telecom giant Huawei from the nationwide roll-out of a 5G data network over “significant national security concerns”, were deteriorating further.

    Last weekend, an Air New Zealand flight en route to Shanghai was turned back to Auckland, with some reports suggesting it was due to how paperwork on board the plane had referred to Taiwan. According to Bloomberg, the airline said the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was not yet certified to fly to China, but had been “unfortunately assigned” the flight.

    The Civil Aviation Administration of China last year told foreign firms and airlines not to refer to Taiwan as anything other than a Chinese territory on their websites.

    Former New Zealand government trade consultant Robert Scollay said from the point of view of those in the country, China’s latest actions “raised the question of whether this is a temporary expression of displeasure or if it means something more significant”.

    After Wellington’s decision on Huawei, which it took in support of its fellow members in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, there was a debate on whether it had finally chosen a side in its long-running balancing act between the United States and China – its two most important economic partners.

    But Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang on Friday dismissed the suggestion, saying both countries had a common interest in ensuring healthy and stable ties. “China is willing to work with New Zealand on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit to promote the continued development of China-New Zealand relations,” Geng said.

    Noakes from the University of Auckland said he was not convinced ties had deteriorated, despite recent events. “The really unlucky thing is that the perceived souring of ties dovetails with commonly held misperceptions of what China is and what engagement with China means for New Zealanders.”

    Jason Young, director of New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre at the Victoria University of Wellington, had a more ominous take.

    “This can become a self-fulfilling prophecy,” he said. “We talk ourselves into having a bad relationship with China, and that’s quite dangerous.”

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  • SK Telecom to launch data analyzer with Microsoft

    SK Telecom to launch data analyzer with Microsoft

    Korea’s No. 1 mobile carrier SK Telecom said Wednesday it will collaborate with U.S. software giant Microsoft for big data solutions to expand its presence in the global market. SK Telecom said it signed a development and global business cooperation agreement with Microsoft in Silicon Valley to step up development and global marketing in big data analysis.

    Under the partnership, SKT will launch its real-time big data analyzer, Metatron, on Microsoft’s public cloud platform Azure.

    Metatron provides quick and easy data analysis, which also includes data collection, storage and visualization processes. Azure is the world’s second-largest public cloud provider, used in 140 nations across the globe.

    The two companies agreed to launch the big-data-based asset performance-management service for the commercial market in July.

    “The partnership is expected to set the ground for Metatron’s footprint in the global market,” Choi Yong-jin, SKT’s data labs director, said in a release.

    Already well-established in its domestic market, SK Telecom has focused on leveraging its mobile network technology expertise and increasing revenue in content, software and security.

    During MWC Barcelona, set to open next Monday, the company plans to demonstrate its 5G technology, including quantum-safe cryptography solutions and mobile edge computing.

    Quantum-safe technology encrypts transmitted data using special quantum keys, which prevents interception or theft.

    Edge-computing systems process data locally, in nearby data centers or on devices, which eases the strain on networks and improves data reply times.

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  • SKT brings 5G workplace to life

    SKT brings 5G workplace to life

    ID cards, laptops and business trips will no longer be necessary, according to SK Telecom, when the 5G network-based smart office environment becomes an industry norm. The mobile carrier showcased its smart office technology test bed in Jongno District, central Seoul, Wednesday. Currently, about 300 SK Telecom employees are working at the space set up roughly a month ago by renting out three floors in the Centropolis building.

    At the entrance to the office, SK Telecom has facial recognition technology manning the security desk. Due to privacy issues, only employees who have agreed to register their biometric information can pass through the gate without an ID card.

    Inside the office, a display panel shows seat reservations. The screen shows all available seats inside the office, similar to the systems seen in university libraries and also shows who is in which seat. When designing the smart office, SK Telecom made it into an open space so employees can freely move around. The display even shows how many toilet cubicles are available for immediate use, although in this case employee names aren’t shown.

    The carrier said it used roughly 2,300 sensors, including on the ceilings, CCTV and even doorknobs in the bathrooms that track relevant data on employees’ work patterns inside the office. The data collected will be used to develop smart office solutions packages for enterprise customers.

    The desks in the office come with desktop computers connected to mobile routers that convert 5G signals into super-fast Wi-Fi. Beside the computer monitor is a docking station for smartphones. The so-called virtual desktop infrastructure enables employees to bring up what they were working on with their personal computers on the desktop computer using the cloud. Unlike simply mirroring a smartphone display, the phones become an authorization medium that allow the computer to verify which work files are downloaded from the cloud.

    At one side of the office is a space for so-called telemeetings that could cut down the need for frequent business trips. SK Telecom said it used its “T real telepresence” technology to invite multiple users into a virtual space where participants can have meetings while watching videos or 3-D designs of game characters and buildings together.

    After donning Microsoft’s HoloLens, this reporter was invited to a telemeeting to discuss the design of a game character.

    Within the virtual meeting, attendees were able to see and walk around a moving 3-D game character while interacting with the avatars of other people in the meeting.

    The experience wasn’t perfect – the field of view was small and constantly looking around was necessary in order to follow everything that was going on, but the potential of the technology to greatly reduce the need for business trips was evident.

    Other technologies already being used in the office included a barista robot and artificial intelligence-based autonomous vending machine, which can track employee purchases with camera sensors.

    Would any of these innovations be possible without 5G network?

    According to SK Telecom, yes. But, while all of these technologies are possible on the existing 4G LTE network, the new high-speed network, touted to be 20 times faster when fully commercialized, offers faster and more stable internet connection even when a million devices are connected at once.

    In essence, 5G ensures that all these systems work seamlessly without their huge data usage interrupting networks or slowing down work.

    “Dependency on landline internet will be reduced and high-capacity data will be delivered fast enough for real-time telemeetings with 5G,” said Shin Seung-ho, a manager from SK Telecom’s media lab under ICT center.

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  • Mobile phone ads gain greater purchase during Tet in Vietnam

    Mobile phone ads gain greater purchase during Tet in Vietnam

    Vietnam recorded the fourth highest mobile in-app ad revenues (eCPM) in the Asia-Pacific region during Tet 2018. It ranked behind China, Singapore and the Philippines, according to a report recently released by Vietnamese digital advertising service company Adsota.

    The report also showed that app downloads were the highest 10 days prior to Tet in 2017, while downloads peaked on the first day of the 2018 Tet, showing that the Lunar New Year holiday was a highly effective period to execute user acquisition campaigns for app developers.

    The number of mobile app ad requests (the number of ads displayed in apps) rose by 32 percent in Vietnam during this holiday compared to other days in January and February, said the report.

    Many Vietnamese mobile app developers have gone global and succeeded in the U.S. or Australia by targeting foreign holidays like Black Friday and Christmas. Overall, the highest downloads of Vietnamese-developed apps came from India and the U.S. at 13 and 11 percent respectively, followed by Brazil and Indonesia at 8 percent and 6 percent respectively.

    In terms of revenue, profits from the U.S. market contribute around 20 percent of overseas revenue generated by Vietnamese applications, followed by other developed markets like Australia at five percent; and Germany, Japan and Korea at three percent each.

    Of some 95 million people in Vietnam, 73 percent use mobile phones, 42 percent use smartphones and 50 million people use mobile social media, according to the report.

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  • Axiata’s share price falls 4.87% on RM2.16b tax bill

    Axiata’s share price falls 4.87% on RM2.16b tax bill

     Axiata Group Bhd’s share price fell 4.87% at mid-day after the group and its majority owned subsidiary Ncell Pte Ltd were ordered by the Nepal Supreme Court to pay capital gains tax of 61 billion Nepalese rupees (RM2.16 billion) for the Ncell buyout deal. At 12.30pm, Axiata was the eighth loser on Bursa Malaysia, trading at RM3.71 with 7.03 million shares changing hands.

    The Himalayan Times yesterday reported that Axiata had been hit with the tax bill, which excludes late fees and fines, for its US$1.36 billion purchase of Reynolds Holdings Ltd, which has 80% stake in Ncell, in 2015.

    The publication cited the Nepalese Large Taxpayers Office chief as saying it would only initiate the process of collecting the tax amount once it gets a copy of the tax verdict.

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  • Axiata slides 5% in early morning trade on tax bill

    Axiata slides 5% in early morning trade on tax bill

    Axiata Group Bhd saw some selling pressure in early morning trade on news that it had been hit with a capital gains tax bill of RM2.16bil by the Nepalese Supreme Court. The stock lost as much as 20 sen or 5.1% in early morning trading on Friday to a low of RM3.70. At 9.30am, the counter was down 14 sen or 3.59% to RM3.76 a share on the back of 1.57 million shares traded.

    Analysts said the news report by the Himalayan Times yesterday came as a negative surprise, which may impact the group’s FY19E earnings forecasts.

    Kenanga research made no changes to its FY18-19E earnings forecast pending its upcoming 4Q18 results but lowered its target price to RM4.50 from RM4.60 previously.

    “All in, we are keeping our Outperform call for now in view of its relatively decent valuation (Forward EV/EBITDA of 7.2x vs. peers of 12-13x) coupled with a stronger Celcom and earnings recovery at XL.

    “Bargain-hunting opportunity could potentially arise on any share price weakness due to the recent hiccup. We advocate investors to start accumulating the share at c.RM3.70 level,” it said.

    PublicInvest research said its core earnings forecasts remain unchanged but headline profit could see a sharp decline if Axiata paid the capital gains tax in FY19F.

    “Although our core earnings forecasts and Neutral call remain unchanged, we believe share price would react negatively to this news due to uncertainties and the potential downside to headline profit,” it said.

    It maintained its target price at RM3.85.

    In its response to news reports, Axiata said in a statement that it is yet to receive the judgment and order of the Supreme Court and is yet to receive any details of the order.

    “Ncell, Reynolds, and Axiata UK were given the full clearance by the Large Tax Payers Office of Nepal [LTPO] of its obligations to withhold any CGT payment on behalf of the Seller in relation to the Transaction via the letter from LTPO dated 4 June 2017, following the full and final payment made by Ncell, albeit under protest on the basis that CGT is not applicable on offshore transactions and even if applicable, any shortfall on payment is the responsibility of the Seller,” it said.

    The group said it would provide further updates upon receiving the order of the Supreme Court.

     

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  • Astro seen benefiting if Android box is banned

    Astro seen benefiting if Android box is banned

    Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd is the clear winner if the government moves to ban the sale of Android set-top-boxes (STBs) in the country as this could possibly halt or slow down its declining subscriber base and lift its average revenue per user (ARPU), according to HLIB Research. It was reported that the government has set up a task force to consider banning the sale of Android STBs, mirroring Singapore’s move last month.

    The rapid sale of Android STBs in Malaysia has hampered the development of Pay-TV in the last two to three years, HLIB Research analyst Khairul Azizi Kairudin said in a note.

    He said this is evident by Astro’s declining premium subscribers who opted to shift to Android STBs and other digital platforms (both legal and illegal).

    “In Malaysia, Astro appears to be the most impacted player with the rapid sales of Android STBs as evident by its declining premium subscribers in the past three years. However, we note that Astro has managed to slow down the subscriber loss with NJOI,” he added.

    Nevertheless, he noted that despite the ban on Android STBs, Astro would still face competition from legal streaming platforms such as Netflix.

    While Singapore took three years to review the ban of Android STBs, which includes amending its Copyright Act, Khairul expects a shorter timeframe for Malaysia as media companies have mooted the idea in the past two years due to the disruptive impact.

    “We believe the government has started the discussions on the ban by setting up a task force to review the current law,” he said.

    Additionally, he said HLIB Research views Telekom Malaysia’s (TM) recent announcement that their latest Unifi package would not be bundled with Unifi TV subscription due to changing consumer trends as a positive for Astro as this could assist the latter to expand their subscriber base.

    Astro controlled 77% market share of Pay-TV market in Malaysia and the rest is controlled by TM through Unifi TV.

    Khairul said should the ban on Android STBs material, it would be a positive catalyst for the lacklustre media sector (especially for Astro) which is being hampered by the digital disruption.

    “For now, we maintain our ‘underweight’ rating on the media sector. Following the recent surge in Astro share price, we downgrade Astro from ‘buy’ to ‘hold’ with an unchanged target price of RM1.70.

    “Nevertheless, Astro’s earning prospect remain intact on the back of its stable advertising expenditure outlook and coupled with generous dividend payment of 5% yield,” he added.

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  • Axiata buys 80% stake in Laos firm

    Axiata buys 80% stake in Laos firm

    Axiata Group Bhd’s 63%-owned subsidiary edotco Investments (Labuan) Ltd (edotco Labuan) is acquiring an 80% stake in Laos’s Mekong Tower Company Ltd (MTCL) for LAK12.8 billion (RM6.08 million) cash. Axiata said in a filing with the stock exchange that edotco Labuan had entered into a share subscription agreement (SSA) with Viphet Sihachakr (VS) and MTCL for the purchase.

    The SSA is subject to, amongst other, procurement of operating licence or other form of authorisation from the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of the Government of Laos to MTCL for the provision of infrastructure solutions for telecommunications and network operators in Laos; registration of MTCL with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of the Government of Laos; and procurement by VS of viable business including relevant concessions and/or incentives in Laos.

    Unless waived by the parties, the conditions must be satisfied not later than six months from the date of the SSA.

    “The proposed subscription provides opportunities for edotco group to expand into a new market and grow organically via build-to-suits and inorganically with sizeable sale-and-leaseback prospects,“ Axiata said.

    The Laos tower market is expected to undergo intense growth in tandem with a national drive towards 4G adoption, with an estimated demand of no less than 5,000 towers over the next three years, underscoring the need for an independent tower player to meet the requisite capital expenditure and cost optimisation burdens incumbent on local mobile network operators.

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  • KT CEO talks 5G at World Economic Forum

    KT CEO talks 5G at World Economic Forum

    The head of KT, the country’s leading telecommunications provider, outlined the importance of 5G networks in driving innovation at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week. KT CEO Hwang Chang-gyu was invited to a meeting of the International Business Council, a community of 100 select highly influential executives around the globe, which was held on the forum’s sidelines.

    Hwang said the adoption of the upcoming network system will play an integral role in processing autonomous driving vehicles and telemedicine systems.

    5G refers to the fifth-generation mobile network that will succeed the current 4G network, which has been prevalent for about seven years. The network is expected to be commercialized in the first quarter of this year, according to KT.

    The global elite meeting also acted as a get-together for the world’s renowned CEOs and academics. KT said Hwang spoke with Apple’s Tim Cook, adding that the Apple CEO pledged to visit Korea or invite Hwang to the United States to learn more about the 5G network. Rafael Reif, the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said he expected Hwang will lecture about 5G at the campus.

    The KT CEO also promised to strengthen cooperation with Japan’s telecom NTT Docomo to run 5G during the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020.

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  • Viettel sole Vietnamese brand in global 500 listing

    Viettel sole Vietnamese brand in global 500 listing

    Military-run telecom giant Viettel is the only Vietnamese firm in the list of 500 most valuable brands in the world. Valued at $4.32 billion, Viettel’s brand was ranked 478th on the list of 500 most valuable brands in the world for 2019, Brand Finance, a leading global brand valuation consultant, announced at the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

    This is the first time a Vietnamese brand has been named in this list.

    Accordingly, Viettel’s brand value in 2019 has increased 35.8 percent year over 2018. The telecom giant’s high brand valuation was largely due to its presence and contribution in 10 foreign markets, suggesting the company was internationally competitive.

    2018 was a successful year for Viettel in  foreign telecommunication sectors, with service revenue growing by 20 percent, mobile subscribers base growing by 70 percent and net cash flow from international operations by $240 million, 3 percent higher compared to 2017.

    Brand Finance’s Global 500 list ranks the most valuable brands in the world covering all business fields including telecommunications, technology, automotive, oil and gas. Some big names in the list include Amazon, Apple, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Shell and Telstra.

    “Every year Brand Finance conducts an assessment of about 5,000 global brands across 40 different areas on various criteria such as revenue, brand strength, and financial health,” said David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance.

    Out of a total 5,000 global businesses surveyed, there were 500 Southeast Asian businesses, of which only 8 brands made it to the Global 500 list. The listed brands were in three categories: telecommunications, oil and gas, banking.

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  • Facebook strikes deal with SK to pay data fees

    Facebook strikes deal with SK to pay data fees

    Facebook reportedly finally agreed to pay data traffic fees to SK Broadband after two years of negotiations. According to local media reports Sunday, the social media giant and internet provider agreed to a two-year network usage deal to set up a cache server for temporary data storage and provide fast Facebook access to SK Broadband users. While the two companies did not confirm the exact sum, Facebook will reportedly pay more than what it previously proposed during negotiations.

    SK Broadband is not the first internet provider that Facebook will be paying in the country. In 2015, it signed a contract with KT to open a cache server. The two companies are currently working on renewing the contract after it expired last July.

    The new deal with SK Broadband comes after Facebook faced negative press for inconveniencing users while trying to avoid paying network fees to SK Broadband and LG U+.

    In late 2016 and early 2017, the social media giant re-routed non-KT users to its server in Hong Kong when they tried to connect to the platform, slowing down access considerably. The Korea Communications Commission charged the company 396 million won ($353,900) in fines and ordered it to change its practices.

    Following the agreement with SK Broadband, the social media giant is expected to open up a cache server with the internet provider.

    The company is also reported to be working with LG U+ on a similar deal.

    The recent deal highlights the question of whether other foreign IT giants will follow suit and pay data traffic fees to Korea’s network providers.

    Many Korean businesses have complained that current laws and practices hurt domestic firms. Naver and Kakao, for example, pay around 70 billion won and 30 billion won every year to Korea’s three network providers to compensate for their high traffic volume, while Google and Netflix – which are thought to be responsible for half of Korea’s data traffic together with Facebook – pay none.

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  • Viettel gets one-year 5G trial license

    Viettel gets one-year 5G trial license

    Vietnam’s largest telecommunications company Viettel has received a license to trial its 5G services. The trial is licensed for a period of one year until January 21 next year. Viettel is the first company in Vietnam to receive this license. The military-owned company is allowed to trial the sevices in Hanoi and HCMC at not more than 73 locations and without charging for the services.

    The company had earmarked $40 million for the development of its own 5G chipset, but was also considering using technology from Ericsson and Nokia, its president and CEO Le Dang Dung said.

    Viettel has around 60 million subscribers in Vietnam and over 30 million more in 10 other countries, predominantly in Asia and Africa.

    Speaking at a seminar on telecoms innovations at the end of 2018, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung had expressed plans to introduce 5G by 2020, which would make Vietnam one of the first countries to deploy this technology.

    5G is the latest generation in of mobile Internet connectivity, and should offer much faster speeds and more reliable connections on smartphones and other devices compared to the current 3G and 4G technologies.

  • Singapore telco M1’s suitors say they won’t raise offer price

    Singapore telco M1’s suitors say they won’t raise offer price

    Singapore conglomerate Keppel Corp and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) said they will not raise their offer price to gain majority control of mobile operator M1 Ltd, a move that could put pressure on Axiata Group, M1’s single largest shareholder. Keppel and SPH, which together control 34.3% of Singapore’s smallest mobile operator, said in September they would offer S$2.06 (RM6.25) per share for majority ownership of M1 in a bid to support its falling share price and restructure the firm to better compete against sector rivals.

    “The offeror wishes to announce that it does not intend to increase the offer price of S$2.06 in cash per offer share under any circumstances whatsoever,” Keppel and SPH said in a regulatory announcement issued by their jointly-owned holding company. The closing date was extended to Feb 18 from Feb 4. M1 has a total market value of S$1.92 billion.

    Malaysia’s Axiata, which holds a 28.3% stake in M1, said in September the offer should reflect the accurate future value of M1, inclusive of an acceptable control premium and consistent with market standards.

    Axiata said at the time it was working with an adviser and was reviewing its options. As quoted, Axiata viewed the offer price as “inadequate”.

    In response to a query, Axiata said it would not comment on a statement. “Axiata will make any necessary announcements as required and in due time,” it said.

    Since the September announcement, M1’s shares have rallied 26% to trade at S$2.05 this week but are little changed over the past two years and have lost 49% from a record high of S$3.99 in early 2015.

    Mobile telecoms competition is heating up in Singapore, with Australia’s TPG Telecom planning to launch a new service after winning a licence to become the city-state’s fourth telecom operator. Analysts consider M1 to be the most vulnerable to new competition.

    In July 2017, Axiata, Keppel and SPH had considered, and then called off a strategic review of their M1 shareholding, which sources said was due to a lower-than-expected offer from external parties.

  • Seoul, SKT to add 5G to transport system

    Seoul, SKT to add 5G to transport system

    Sensors on roads will be able to alert cars when people are jaywalking and bus stops will tell buses to slow down in crowded areas when Seoul’s 5G infrastructure is ready, the city’s government and SK Telecom said in a joint statement Thursday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and SK Telecom have teamed up on an initiative called the Cooperative-Intelligent Transport System, an upgrade of the current transportation system in Seoul. The pilot program will run until the end of 2020 with a budget of roughly 25.4 billion won ($22.6 million).

    Seoul already has a digitized public transportation system with signboards at bus stops telling passengers when the next bus is coming and whether it is crowded, and T-Money cards that enable people to transfer between various means of public transportation with little additional cost. The city aims to use 5G to make that transport system even safer.

    SK Telecom will supply 2,000 5G devices for buses, taxis and traffic signal controllers so they can connect with the 5G network. The mobile carrier said the devices will be co-developed with Samsung Electronics.

    Buses and taxis installed with 5G will constantly share data with bus stops, traffic lights and other traffic infrastructure. SK Telecom and the Seoul government will look for dangerous situations by analyzing the shared data to prevent accidents. As SK Telecom operates the country’s largest navigation app – T Map – the carrier said it will send out warnings through the app to reach the largest number of drivers possible.

    SK Telecom said there are about 30 safety services the 5G-based transportation system can offer.

    Roads installed with 5G sensors can detect jaywalkers, the mobile carrier said. While cars may have difficulty spotting people in the dark or during bad weather, 5G-connected sensors will alert nearby cars and prevent accidents. In 2017, 9,590 accidents were caused by jaywalkers, the largest cause of road accidents for pedestrians, according to data from the Korea Road Traffic Authority.

    The country’s largest telecom company also said 5G connectivity between cars can prevent secondary accidents by sending warning messages to following cars when an accidents occur in areas with poor visibility, such as around a corner or a bend in the road.

    As well as partnering on safety services, Seoul and SK Telecom are also preparing to jointly establish an autonomous driving test-bed in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, by the first half of this year. A self-driving vehicle will run back and forth between Digital Media City Station and buildings in the area. The SK Telecom-operated autonomous vehicle will begin running in the area from June at the earliest.

    “The Cooperative-Intelligent Transport System project is a futuristic business that combines state-of-the-art digital technologies, like 5G, autonomous driving, artificial intelligence (AI) and the cloud,” said Ryu Young-sang, an executive vice president of SK Telecom. “We hope to offer a range of traffic safety data to Seoul citizens using 5G and reduce traffic accidents.”