SK Telecom to develop and standardize small-sized 5G base stations

By Park Sae-jin Posted : August 23, 2018, 13:15 Updated : August 23, 2018, 13:15

[Yonhap Photo]



SEOUL -- SK Telecom, South Korea's top mobile carrier, will embark on a government-funded joint project to develop small-sized base stations for the fifth-generation (5G) mobile communications network which will be established next year.

SK Telecom said in a statement on Thursday that it will develop small-sized base stations with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), a state research institute, and South Korean telecom device makers. The project will be funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Unlike ordinary base stations, which are about the size of a large refrigerator, small base stations known as small cells are recommended for the next-generation mobile communication, which is based on high frequencies and is easy to lose propagation especially in indoor environments, because they prevent indoor communication blind spots.

"About 80 percent of 5G communications will take place indoors," an SK Telecom official was quoted as saying, adding small cells will help users enjoy diverse 5G services such as virtual reality and hologram. Acquiring core technologies related to small-sized base stations is crucial in the global race to commercialize 5G services. SK Telecom said it would seek international patents with its technology.

 
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