SKT steps up efforts to gain ground in IoT sector

South Korea's No. 1 wireless carrier SK Telecom announced a partnership deal with Finland-headquartered network equipment-maker Nokia on Tuesday to work on developing Internet of Small Things technology, which connects small sensors and devices.

　The two counterparts will collaborate on developing network technology, such as machine type communication, which is required to support large-scale transmission of kilobytes of data, and applications leveraging the MTC technology, according to the Seoul-based mobile carrier.

　Park Jin-hyo, head of SKT's network technology research and development center, said in a press release that "the mobile carrier hopes that the latest MOU will lay the foundation for the two partners' growth in the Internet-of-Things era."

　Some of the projects to be proceeded by the firms include network technology that consumes less power and prolongs the life span of a battery of an electronic device for more than 10 years.

　The mobile telecom joined the LoRa Alliance, a group of global partners that promotes the IoT technology, in July. It also joined hands with Swedish network equipment supplier Ericsson to work on the Internet of Small Things technology.

　Market watchers forecast that the network technology for small sensors and devices will incite changes in a wide variety of business sectors from information technology to retail as it has a number of applications including smart light bulbs and smart beacons.

　By Kim Young-won ( wone0102@heraldcorp.com)

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