Korea’s three leading wireless carriers -- SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus -- will start voice over long-term evolution services for subscribers from different operators Monday, according to the companies Sunday.
“VoLTE” is a data-based communications technology utilizing the LTE networks to provide improved voice and video calls -- up to 12 times better compared to those utilizing 2G or 3G networks.
The three mobile carriers ran pilot programs for the advanced telecom technology from late June to August with test groups and they have expanded the services in phases since August.
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SK Telecom’s VoLTE services. (SKT) |
A total of 17 mobile carriers in 10 global markets are currently providing VoLTE services for subscribers in their own mobile networks.
The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning and the three Korean mobile carriers were recognized in July by the GSMA, an organization for the world’s mobile network operators, for the world’s first commercialization of the interconnected VoLTE services.
Around 35 million LTE subscribers using VoLTE-enabled handsets in Korea will be able to use the interconnected VoLTE services.
“The ministry and mobile carriers will try to come up with converged services deploying the data-based VoLTE services,” an official from the ICT ministry said.
By Kim Young-won (
wone0102@heraldcorp.com)
