KT Showcases the End-to-End 5G Network at MWC 2017

KT (CEO Chang-Gyu Hwang, www.kt.com) presented the Pyeongchang 5G Specification-based on 5G End-to-End Network at the MWC 2017, which held for four days from February 27 in Barcelona, Spain.

This is the first time that a perfect 5G mobile network interlocked with 5G terminals, base stations, and core devices is being presented.

Until now, 5G technology focused on the development of access network equipment and technology such as base stations and repeaters in order to improve the speed of wireless transmissions and secure efficient coverage. However the development and mutual interlocking of core networks that manage the entire infrastructure are required for the purpose of providing new services to customers.

“5G End-to-End Network,” jointly developed by KT and Samsung Electronics, is wirelessly connected to base stations and terminals and interlocked with core network equipment that act as the control tower. It performs all key functions, such as customer authentication, mobility, and linkage with external networks, required for providing customers with 5G services.

In addition, KT applied “5G distributed architecture” to the 5G End-to-End Network in order to improve the efficiency of the existing network architecture (4G, LTE), which handles all data traffic at the network center.

‘5G distributed architecture’ can virtualize core networks to handle data traffic and allocate them to any desired area. As data transmission starts at the nearest location to a customer, even high-capacity media which cannot be handled by 4G (LTE) networks can be transmitted smoothly with low latency.

KT predicted that ‘5G distributed architecture’ could stably commercialize 5G-based services such as connected cars that deliver traffic information with low latency, remote medical service systems that require real-time control, and smart factories.

The 5G End-to-End Network is on display at the KT Booth 5G Zone located in Innovation City at the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA). Visitors can experience low-latency 5G service, using wearable devices such as gloves equipped with motion sensors. Their motions are transmitted as high-capacity holograms in real-time through the 5G End-to-End Network.

An official at KT said, “The world’s first 5G trial service to be presented at the 2018 Winter Olympics is about to be completed based on ‘Pyeongchang 5G Specification’ jointly established by KT and other global manufacturers. Based on ‘Pyeongchang 5G Specification,’ Korea will accelerate the standardization of global 5G.”

Chief Manager at KT Infra R&D Center, Hong Beom Jeon said, “KT will complete 5G trial service networks in the second half of the year based on the 5G End-to-End Network that contains core devices. We will provide spectators with entirely new 5G service experiences such as Sync View, 360° VR, and Omni-view, etc.”