Asia Pacific Media Network :: KOREA: SKT touts cooperation with KT on mobile

Asia Pacific Media Network :: KOREA: SKT touts cooperation with KT on mobile broadcasts

SK Telecom President Kim Shin-bae talked down his company's ongoing feud with the country's leading fixed-line carrier, KT Corp., saying that the two will iron out their differences on policy over satellite-based mobile broadcasts, for which commercial services could start in July

The Korea Herald
Wedneday, March 24, 2004

By Kim Tong-hyung

SK Telecom President Kim Shin-bae talked down his company's ongoing feud with the country's leading fixed-line carrier, KT Corp., saying that the two will iron out their differences on policy over satellite-based mobile broadcasts, for which commercial services could start in July.

"Satellite DMB (digital multimedia broadcasting) is the latest example of medium convergence and could realize its potential only by building a solid connection between the wireless sector and the fixed-line sector," Kim said during a news conference in Seoul.

"We have always regarded KT as an ideal partner that could bring us a lot in the fixed-line sector once the satellite DMB starts off. We will be more than willing to cooperate with them in future businesses," he said.

Satellite DMB is an advanced receiver technology designed to provide sound and video to portable handheld devices such as cellular phones and portable computers.

SK Telecom, the country's top wireless service provider, launched the world's first DMB satellite from Florida earlier this month with its Japanese partner, Mobile Broadcasting Corp., and plans to start services in July through joint company TU Media.

However, KT, which had planned to start its satellite broadcast services after 2006, has recently been pushing to beat out SK in winning the rights as a DMB service provider, hinting at the possibility of using the Mugunghwa No. 3 satellite they launched in 1999.

"Satellite DMB is an experiment that could not set off on the right course with multiple service providers fighting from the start. KT has been demanding excessive rights in management on their conditions to work with us on satellite DMB, but he hopes for progress in the future," said Kim.

Date Posted: 3/24/2004