SK Telecom plans to trial the LTE network system this year
Korean telecommunications operator SK Telecom and Finnish vendor Nokia have developed a portable, all-in-one public safety LTE network system.
The system is equipped with all elements required for mobile telecommunications, including a base station; switching system including evolved packet core, home subscriber server, policy and charging rules function; and push-to-talk technologies. The idea is to enable public safety officials to instantly create an independent LTE network to be used during emergencies.
The two companies said they were able to realize what they claim to be the world’s first portable, all-in-one PS-LTE network by applying network functions virtualization technologies to the core network elements and PTT solutions to fit them into a small server.
The LTE network created with the system provides coverage of five kilometers and accommodates up to 400 users, the companies said.
Since signing an agreement for joint development of disaster communication technologies in October, SK Telecom and Nokia have been working closely to develop diverse disaster communication technologies, including portable LTE network systems and real-time Group Communication System Enabler based on mobile-evolved multimedia broadcast multicast service.
SK Telecom plans to conduct a trial for the portable LTE system within the year, and to actively utilize the system to expand the national disaster safety wireless network as well as for “LTE for Maritime Wireless Communications” in 2017.
“The portable all-in-one PS-LTE system is a groundbreaking solution that enables communication among first responders by setting up an independent LTE network when regular communication networks are disrupted by disasters,” said Lee Jong-bong, EVP and head of the infra division at SK Telecom. “SK Telecom will not only utilize the innovative system to build disaster safety wireless networks in Korea, but also plans to share its expertise and know-how with many other countries around the world.”
“This world’s first portable LTE solution will be invaluable when critical services are needed to respond to all kinds of disasters and emergencies,” said Andrew Cope, head of Korea at Nokia. “We are very pleased to customize our all-in-one Ultra Compact Network in cooperation with SK Telecom and local small and medium-sized enterprises to suit their individual needs. Nokia will continue to take the lead in PS-LTE-related standardization activities by collaborating with Korean companies and offering advanced PS-LTE solutions to our customers.”
China ships 109M smartphones in Q2
In other APAC news, China smartphone shipments grew 4% annually to hit 109 million units in the second quarter of 2016, according to a recent study by Strategy Analytics.
The study revealed that Chinese vendor Huawei shipped 19.1 million smartphones in Q2, followed by Oppo, with 15.2 million units. Huawei ended the period with a total market share of 18.5%.
“China returned to growth for the first time in a year due to improved LTE volumes from local brands, robust operator promotions and a stabilized economic situation. China remains by far the world’s largest smartphone market, accounting for nearly 1 in 3 of all 340.4 million smartphones shipped globally this quarter,” Linda Sui, director at Strategy Analytics, said.
