Verizon & Korea Telecom Strike 5G Development Pact

Verizon and KT will work together on mmWave, NFV and SDN for 5G.

Dan Jones, Mobile Editor

June 29, 2016

1 Min Read
Light Reading logo in a gray background | Light Reading

Verizon and Korea Telecom have signed another 5G development pact as the operators push to get ahead of the curve with next-generation mobile.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) and Korea Telecom are both pushing to deploy 5G ahead of most other operators. Verizon is expecting to launch a fixed wireless pilot in 2017. Korea Telecom intends to deploy the technology by the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea, which start in February 2018. (See Verizon Could Take Fixed 5G Nationwide.)

"Global partnership for the 5G standardization is very crucial ahead of its planned commercialization in 2020, as a single firm or country alone cannot achieve the goal," KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu reportedly said.

For all the latest news on 5G, visit the dedicated 5G site here on Light Reading.

The operators will work together on millimeter wave technology, SDN and NFV for 5G. Verizon has been testing 28GHz mmWave gear from Samsung Corp. during 2016. KT has 5G development pacts with Samsung, Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) and Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK)

KT and Verizon have already formed the 5G Open Trial Specification Alliance with fellow operator NTT DoCoMo Inc. (NYSE: DCM), and aim to develop an aligned 5G trial specification for tests between 2016 and 2018. (See SK Telecom, DoCoMo, Verizon, KT Form 5G Alliance .)

— Dan Jones, Mobile Editor, Light Reading

About the Author

Dan Jones

Mobile Editor

Dan is to hats what Will.I.Am is to ridiculous eyewear. Fedora, trilby, tam-o-shanter -- all have graced the Jones pate during his career as the go-to purveyor of mobile essentials.

But hey, Dan is so much more than 4G maps and state-of-the-art headgear. Before joining the Light Reading team in 2002 he was an award-winning cult hit on Broadway (with four 'Toni' awards, two 'Emma' gongs and a 'Brian' to his name) with his one-man show, "Dan Sings the Show Tunes."

His perfectly crafted blogs, falling under the "Jonestown" banner, have been compared to the works of Chekhov. But only by Dan.

He lives in Brooklyn with cats.

Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry.
Join 62,000+ members. Yes it's completely free.

You May Also Like