For Strong Digital Korea

KT pushes for expanding FTTH service nationwide to make Korea strong in digital knowledge

KT, the country's leading communication company, is busy these days with the changes in the communication industry in the form of the introduction of IP-TV(Internet Protocol TV), and the multiple product sales of communication products from the second half of the year. In addition, the government will also take the lid off the sale of WiBro terminals and services from this month.
The communication market will be in for a big change when these telecommunication products and services become available in the market and it will bring the competition between KT and SK Telecom, the nation's two communication giants, toe-to-toe in competition.
KT, for one, is more than ready to take on the new challenges with an open arm because the company has been looking for an outlet to find new growth engines in the past several years due to the reduction in the voice wire communication market and the saturation of the high-speed Internet market.
Now, the situation will be better for KT. The company is ready to put on the market Wibro products and multiple product sale and the introduction of IP-TV(Internet Protocol TV) soon. Its affiliate KTF is doing all right with its "Show"product.
In the midst of the stiffening competition in the telecommunication market, KT President Nam Jung-soo came up with the Strong Digital Nation Project to boost the company's effort to go a step up in the development levels. He said the project is to lead the effort to make Korea a global digital knowledge powerhouse and lead the new integrated communication and broadcasting age. As can be understood in the explanation, the KT top manager means to have KT to launch a new business and achieve growth through upgrading of customer value, reflecting his ideas long in his minds.
The strong digital knowledge nation project can be divided into the introduction of FTTH(Fiber to The Home) and activities of IT supporters.
President Nam often visits jobsites laying cable fibers in preparation for the nationwide expansion of FTTH by 2010 to make sure that the project is accomplished on time. He often listens to difficulties that jobsite workers face and other problems during his visits.
KT plans to build 380,000 circuit lines in the residential areas during the first quarter and 310,000 circuit lines in the second quarters a total of 1.14 million circuit lines by the end of this year. KT plans to plow in 402.4 billion won this year, and 1.2 trillion won by 2010 to make FTTH accessible from all corners of the country.
KT's ambitious plan is not totally related to the digital fusion service. FTTH can provide high-quality multimedia service technically. It can provide a large capacity traffic service and triple play service or TPS meaning telephone-Internet and broadcasting in mixed sale on a stable basis. KT officials said the company will be able to offer various convergence products when the a high dimensional infrastructure is completed with the supply of FTTH. As part of the FTTH supply, KT will promote the "First 1 Mile Project"which will enable KT to improve its service quality and upgrade customer value.
President Nam said from this year, KT will push the conversion to FTTH in earnest and end the competition on speed. The company will provide the first regularized FTTH service in the world through the project which will make Korea a strong digital knowledge nation and lead the communication and broadcasting fusion age.
President Nam plans also provide the company behind the efforts to expand the IT supporters program, another wing of the First Mile Project. The number of supporters total 400 now, but it will be driven to grow to more 1000 by next year. KT allocates a large part of its effort to the supporters program to show a new form of corporate social contribution going beyond the usual form of the form.
IT supporters will set out to charity work including poor people to able to own Internet and IT and use them properly, provide education tailored for them and also teach small IT product retailers on consultation on IT free of charge.
IT supporters activities don't must stop at making social contributions, but they provide KT's professional technologies to society to explain the background of their program. Their activities will be three fold, including increases in IT uses and fostering the capacities and check ups on their functions. nw

President Nam Joong-soo of KT