[Yonhap Photo]
The number of 5G-network users will reach about 389 million in 2022, according to Ovum, a global market research firm, as competion is getting fierce among South Korean and foreign tech firms to commercialze it first.
Because of its fast speed, many tech firms find it suitable for transferring and analyzing a vast amount of data. The speed of 5G is about 40 to 50 percent faster than the 4G (LTE) network, and The 5G network can process data 100 times larger than LTE.
In South Korea, the test bed for telecom-related technologies, KT, the country's largest telecom company, and top mobile carrier SK Telecom compete to commercialize the 5G network.
KT has set up a 5G test network in Pyeongchang, the hosting ground for next year's Winter Olympics. The telecom giant will provide real-time (virtual reality) footage of the games in full HD (FHD) definition. The 4G network can provide VR videos but resolutions are low due to its relatively slow speed.
With KT focusing on 5G for multimedia purposes, SK Telecom is making more efforts to develop connected car technologies and provide a driving assistant system that will help drivers receive on-road situations by analyzing real-time data collected from traffic lights, other vehicles and sensors installed on building walls.
The two companies are to test their technologies at the end of this year. Others are trying to apply 5G technologies to everyday life such as drone delivery service. Global have sought to commercialize 5G networks by 2020.
Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
