Samsung announced that it has signed an expansion contract with KT Corporation (KT) to provide public safety (PS-LTE) network solutions based on 3GPP standard Release 13 for 10 major metropolitan regions in South Korea including Seoul by 2020. In addition, the two companies claims that they will be delivering the world’s first Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) service through the PS-LTE network.
This marks the third project in which KT and Samsung’s Networks Business unit have partnered on PS-LTE network deployments. The two companies are now aiming to expand PS-LTE network further into the metropolitan areas around the country, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Jeolla, Gyeongbuk and Chungnam provinces.
In addition to LTE radio base stations that support 700MHz, Samsung is providing KT with virtualized core and the latest features of PS-LTE based on the 3GPP standard. Some of the key features include MCPTT solutions, RAN Sharing, evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service, Public Network IoT based on NB-IoT, Isolated eUTRAN Operation for Public Safety (IOPS), and device to device (D2D) network solutions.
D2D and NB-IoT play crucial roles in creating public safety network by ensuring stable, seamless, and reliable network in unfavorable environments. For instance, D2D allows direct and undisrupted communications between any two devices without traversing radio base stations or core network even in areas where bases stations are not provided.
GY Seo, SVP and Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Network Business, Samsung Electronics
Samsung is thrilled to see such a significant achievement in the country’s public safety where our continuous efforts and innovation on technology have advanced the safety of the world.
Yoon-Young Park, Senior Executive VP and Head of Enterprise Business Group, KT
By acquiring innovative wireless communications from Samsung, we are able to aid in life-threatening situations where data traffic is severely congested or connection is completely out of reach.