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Press Release
On July 3rd. this service will be introduced for the first time in the world through joint efforts with Internet telephony carriers such as SK Telink, SK Networks and Telefree.
This service is based on IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS).
SK Telecom plans to extend service affiliations with all domestic Internet telephony operators in order to break into the multi-network market early.
A company employee Mr. “A” made video calls with his wife and one-year old child while taking a business trip in the U.S. Internet telephony through a notebook computer made these 3G+ video calls possible. Previously he used to make voice calls via Internet telephony during his business trips. But 3G+ video call service enabled him to talk with his beloved family while watching their precious faces.
Previously video calls were only possible between wired and wireless lines, mobile phones or fixed phone and mobile phone of the same service providers. This was due to the difficulty in changing data when interoperating with a variety of Internet-based multimedia services. The newly launched wired and wireless video call service is designed to process data regardless of interoperating methods because it is based on a future generation multimedia network called IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS).
SK Telecom commercialized the world’s first IMS infrastructure and service through a mobile messenger in 2004, and the world’s first IMS-based packet video call service in 2005. In July 2007 the company launched the world’s first commercial IMS-based video call service that allows video calls between mobile phones and Internet-based fixed phones. This service is expected to be utilized for the creation of various new business models, and will give SK Telecom an opportunity to lead in developing related global standards.
The wired and wireless video call service is designed to offer integrated communication services by interoperating with many types of networks via a future generation multimedia network. It also allows for value-added video call services, personal information management, instant messaging and multimedia messaging between different networks. In addition, the service can process voice data as well as video data through an Interconnection Border Controller (IBC) that was developed and commercialized for the first time in the world by SK Telecom. This will allow for multimedia communication interoperability with different network-based services such as Wibro (including Internet telephony) or Internet messengers.
As of the end of June 2007, the number of subscribers of the three Internet telephony service providers that offer wired and wireless video call service reached about 1.7 million. The service providers are providing subscribers with hardware-based Internet telephony service and personal computer-based software telephony service. The number of SK Telecom video call service users (including EV-DO service subscribers) stood at 500,000 as of the end of June 2007. Currently there are about forty Internet telephony service providers in
Internet telephony subscribers, video call-enabled handset holders or webcam-installed telephony users are able to enjoy video calls at the rate of KRW30 for ten seconds when making video calls from mobile phone to Internet telephony. From Internet telephony to mobile phone, the service rate will be KRW26 ~ 27 for ten seconds.
“Customers are now allowed to enjoy the world’s most advanced video call service with fixed telephones. This service will lay the groundwork for the development of various network-based multimedia communications. SK Telecom plans to enhance its complementary alliances with domestic Internet telephony service providers such as SKYPE and Samsung Networks in video call interoperability and other various communications fields.” said Hei Geun Ahn, vice-president and head of SK Telecom’s Data Business Division.