Korean carrier KT Corp. and compatriot shipbuilding conglomerate Hyundai Heavy Industries Group announced a collaboration to jointly develop advanced smart factory solutions based on 5G, Korean news agency Yonhap reported.
In May, the two companies had inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to join forces for a 5G-based smart factory. Since then, the two firms have been working on projects to combine KT’s 5G network, artificial intelligence (AI) and big data technologies with Hyundai Heavy Industries’ robotics and shipbuilding expertise.
Korean holding Hyundai Heavy Industries Group, which extensively uses robots in its shipbuilding process, said it will integrate KT’s 5G network with its robotics system.
KT said its smart factory solution will detect robots’ abnormal activities and reduce their error rates.
The telco launched 5G technology for enterprises in December last year. Since then, KT has been developing business-to-business services to expand use cases of its 5G network.
“A smart factory is one of the key B2B models available on the 5G network,” KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu said. “The companies will collaborate to drive innovation in the local manufacturing industry.”
Earlier this
year, KT had announced plans to launch an advanced smart factory solution based
on its 5G network with the aim of raising productivity at local
factories.
The smart factory solution, dubbed ‘FactoryMakers,’ was developed in partnership with local manufacturers and IT solutions providers, the telco said.
KT also said that its enterprise-focused 5G network features strong security measures against cyber hacking attempts and provides tailored solutions for the manufacturing sector.
KT’s efforts in the smart manufacturing sector are part of a government’s plan to expand smart factories to upgrade the nation’s current manufacturing industry. The government’s goal is to create 30,000 smart factories and 10 industrial zones by 2022.
KT says it surpassed 1 million 5G subscribers as of September 21, according to Korean press reports.
The mobile network operator launched commercial 5G services in the country in early April. KT is the second largest carrier in the Asian country, with nearly 31% share of the mobile market.
