SK Telecom’s wireless Internet technology has built a solid base for further advancement into the GSM market.

SK Telecom announced that on July 8th in SK Telecom’s head office, the company signed a contract for furnishing a wireless Internet platform that includes NATE portal platform, NATE service solution, content, etc. with TA Orange, a GSM-based mobile communication operator in Thailand. In the initial stages, SK Telecom will provide wireless Internet platforms worth about 6.3 million US dollars.

This first contract will focus on the construction of NATE infrastructure, and then following that SK Telecom will introduce most of the NATE services that are offered in Korea through that infrastructure. The total contract amount is expected to reach about 20 million dollars.

TA Orange will have the complete basic infrastructure for offering cutting-edge wireless Internet services in Thailand due to getting the wireless Internet technology and its operational know-how from SK Telecom. This includes platform design, construction, maintenance, as well as system integration and testing. TA Orange plans to furnish more advanced wireless Internet services such as network games, LBS, VOD, M-Commerce, etc. by next year.

Shin Bae Kim, president of SK Telecom, said with respect to this contract, "Currently wireless Internet usage rate in the mobile communications market of Thailand is less than 10%. However, the penetration ratio of mobile phones has reached about 33%, during recent growth stages. In this connection, we see great potential for the data market". "SK Telecom will furnish consulting on wireless Internet service marketing, and jointly operate a wired and wireless integrated service business similar to ’Cy World Portal’ with TA Orange. We will keep seeking win-win business relationships for our two companies" he added.

The contract with TA Orange has a great significance because it demonstrates that CDMA-based wireless Internet technology is making inroads into the GSM market which is more than 80% of the world’s mobile communications market. This will lay the groundwork for advancing into the GSM market in a full-fledged manner.

SK Telecom has been trying to advance into the overseas market with its excellent wireless Internet technology since 2002. This is demonstrated by the provision of wireless Internet NATE platforms to APBW of Taiwan (worth about 30 million dollars) and Pelephone of Israel (worth about 10 million dollars).