SK Telecom seeks growth momentum with smart ICT

BUSAN ― SK Telecom, South Korea’s No. 1 mobile carrier, proved its prowess in information and communications technology by showcasing smart products and services at the World IT Show, a sideline event of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Busan Wednesday.

One of the notable services on display at the WIS was an application platform, WIZTURN, which serves as a map for the exhibition venue at BEXCO. 

Paired with around 600 Bluetooth beacons installed throughout the exhibition halls, the location detection application allows visitors to search and find the pavilions of the IT event effortlessly.

SK Telecom has tested the WIZTURN service in airports, hospitals and sports stadiums for months this year and will deploy the beacon-based service in other areas. 

“With its superior ICT capacity, SK Telecom is constantly seeking new ICT convergence businesses, developing related products and services, and creating added value,” Yook Tae-sun, executive vice president of the company’s new business office, said in a press release.

“The company will continue to promote the creative economy and find ways to grow together with small and medium-sized businesses through open business models for collaboration,” he added.

The mobile carrier also introduced a slew of ICT gadgets, which the firm categorized as the “smart appcessory” (a combination of application and accessory), including AirCube, an air quality monitoring device, and SolarSkin, a smartphone case that can charge batteries with artificial light or solar energy.

The AirCube won two awards for its high portability at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair, one of the largest electronics shows held earlier in October.

A new Smart Beam model, a wireless portable beam projector, wowed the spectators at the IT event in Busan.

The telecom firm also introduced smart technologies aimed at narrowing the digital divide.

BOXCHOOL was one such notable IT service for this cause. Built in a movable container, it is equipped with electronic devices with educational content.

“The BOXCHOOL which can be deployed in rural or mountain areas can be utilized for children’s education in developing countries, and help them to better communicate with their teachers through ICT,” a company official said.

SK Telecom has exported smart learning solutions and devices to Indonesia, Azerbaijan and China this year.

By Park Hyong-ki, Kim Young-won 
(hkp@heraldcorp.com) (hkp@heraldcorp.com)(wone0102@heraldcorp.com">wone0102@heraldcorp.com)