The ’Convergence trend’ is not a simple integration of existing business areas because it often means the creation of new businesses. This gives us new opportunities in the matured telecom market.

On September 7th, Shin Bae Kim, president of SK Telecom, delivered a keynote speech on the subjects of ’Case studies and growth strategies in the various stages of expanding mobile communications market demands’. This speech was made during ’ITU Telecom Asia 2004’ that is taking place in Busan.

President Kim said in his keynote speech "The European and American markets first adopted and activated wire-line communications. However, the Asian telecom market had relatively more opportunities to adopt advanced technologies in the initial stages of telecom services. In 2004, The number of wired and wireless service subscribers in the Asia Pacific regions, including China and India, encompassed one billion. The telecom penetration ratio in these markets is expected to reach 24% of wire-line service and 36% of wireless service, by 2008. At the present rate of increase, another billion subscribers will be created by 2010".

He also said, "with respect to business strategies in the mobile communications market’s growth stages. the development processes in Asian countries are quite different and variable according to the businesses launch period, telecom policy, and economic environment. In line with this, distinct business strategies that satisfy each country’s situation, are required. In the initial stages of the mobile communications market, universal and stable cellular technologies are suitable. In terms of service coverage, cellular services should be offered first to heavily populated areas. In the case of cellular rates, an affordable rate plan is recommendable for providing customers with a maximum of opportunities to experience the service. At a later growth stage, we recommend segmented marketing strategies that focus on groups of people who indulge in similar economic activities, rather than using total marketing approaches for entire groups of customers. In the Korean market, there were tremendous differences in cellular subscription trends by age groups within generations. These varied from 10% to 70% in 1999. At the stage of a matured market, fostering Convergence and Ubiquitous business is an alternative method for implementing mobile communications business strategies.

A Convergence trend is not a simple integration of business areas, but it means the creation of new businesses. This gives us a new opportunity to increase the size of entire markets. The Ubiquitous world enables the networking of every object around us. As the communication targets can be expanded to non-humans, it is difficult to forecast its potential demands at the moment. However, when a broad spectrum of Ubiquitous technologies are developed and come on-stage, the business opportunities of traditional mobile communications operators might be lessened. In this regard, there is a bright future in the upcoming Ubiquitous world", he added.

In the forum of ITU Telecom Asia 2004, Won Hee Sul, vice-president of SK Telecom (head of the Platform R&D Center), will make a speech on September 7th on the subject of ’More Personalized Mobile Services’. In addition, on September 9th, Myung Sung Lee, senior vice-president of SK Telecom (head of the Technology Strategy Group), will deliver a speech on the subject of ’Networking Services in the Ubiquitous World’.