SKT Picks Samsung, StarentSKT Picks Samsung, Starent

TEWKSBURY, Mass. -- SK Telecom has selected Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. to build the data core network for Korea's first Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) network using the Samsung Mobile Access Gateway 400 (SMAG 400 which is Starent Networks Corporation's ST16 Intelligent Mobile Gateway). The gateway will be deployed as the network's Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) and Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN).

SK Telecom has over 17.6 million subscribers on its CDMA2000 and 2nd generation networks, and is one of the world's most innovative mobile carriers. It received a license to launch W-CDMA 3G mobile phone services from the South Korean government in March of 2001.

The deployment of the GGSN and the SGSN - SGSN is jointly developed with Samsung - is the first for both products. Live trials have already started on the SK Telecom network. Starent Networks has already deployed Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) and Home Agent (HA) equipment in Asia, North America and South America.

"SK Telecom is an excellent carrier which always conducts a thorough evaluation of a solution's capabilities," said Chang Soo Lim, vice president, Network Systems Division, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. "The ST16-based GGSN and SGSN solution proved to be an exceptional performer."

SK Telecom's network will be deployed by the end of this year. The network will target services in Seoul, Korea. It will allow subscribers to access WIPI (Wireless Internet Platform for Interoperability) based Wireless Internet Service, MMS (Multimedia Message Service), VOD (Video On Demand), MOD (Music On Demand), and PS/CS (Packet Service/Circuit Service) Concurrent Service over a W-CDMA network.

"We are very pleased to be working with a prestigious carrier like SK Telecom," said Ashraf Dahod, president and CEO of Starent Networks Corporation. "This allows Starent Networks to be the only emerging company in our field to have contracts for both W-CDMA and CDMA2000 networks and with multiple carriers."

Samsung Corp.

Starent Networks Corp.

SK Telecom