KT announces commercial launch of 5G in March 2019

South Korea’s leading mobile carrier KT said Thursday it will commercialize fifth-generation network services in March 2019 by launching an integrated platform applied with virtualization technologies.

The 5G platform will be based on end-to-end (E2E) Orchestrator, a network virtualization control system, which will manage KT’s 5G network from core equipment to base stations to devices in real time.

The platform will be essential to providing 5G-based autonomous driving, immersive media and internet of things services, the company said.

“E2E Orchestrator can be flexibly converted for different uses according to changing demand for services, which boasts high efficiency and provides a great variety of 5G services for consumers,” the company said.

KT is planning to implement connected car, smart factory and drone services by using the platform. 

At a press conference in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, on Thursday, KT demonstrated a multi-play virtual reality game based on the 5G network, dubbed “Special Force VR,” co-developed by game firm Dragonfly.

Players in Gwanghwamun were connected with other players in Sinchon, northwestern Seoul, via KT’s 5G network to play the game in real time.

“KT will perfectly deliver the promise made to the world at the PyeongChang Olympics,” said KT’s network business head Oh Seong-mok. “KT will start providing perfect 5G services in March 2019 based on our technologies and know-how that have been built up.”

For the past three years, KT applied for more than 100 patents for preparations of pilot 5G services for the Olympics. And it has secured core technologies for the 5G network, it said.

Major parts of the KT-led PyeongChang 5G specifications in cooperation with Samsung Electronics, Intel and other global equipment vendors were adopted by 3GPPas non-standalone standards in December.

By Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com)