KT Corporation

KT Corporation
Public
Traded as KRX: 030200
NYSE: KT
LSE: KTCD
Industry Telecommunications
Founded December 10, 1981
Headquarters Seongnam, South Korea
Key people
 Chang-Gyu Hwang, (CEO)
Products Fixed line and mobile telephony, Internet services, digital television
Revenue KRW 20,166,817 million (2012)[1]
Number of employees
 32,186 (As of end of 2012)
Subsidiaries
Website www.kt.com/eng/

KT Corporation also known as KT formerly Korea Telecom, in Korean 주식회사 케이티 (formerly 한국통신, Hanguk Tongshin), is a South Korean integrated wired/wireless telecommunication service provider. KT focuses on information and communications business, and it has the largest portion of the South Korean local telephone and high-speed Internet market.

Originally founded in 1981 as a public corporation, KT actively led Korea's transition to the information era and played a key role in promoting the growth of Korea into a globally recognized IT superpower. In 2009, KT merged with its mobile subsidiary KTF, paving the way to the convergence of fixed and mobile services. Since KT initially introduced the Apple iPhone to South Korea, it constantly seeks new business area, such as media, virtual goods, and global business with its domestic businesses experience. The company has a well-distributed shareholder structure under which the National Pension Service (NPS) is the largest shareholder (6.81% as of December 31, 2012), but NPS holds no managerial rights over the company.[2] Under the current shareholder structure, no controlling shareholder exists.

History

Before privatization

After privatization

After KT-KTF merger

Board of Directors

KT’s Board of Directors (BOD) consists of three non-independent directors and eight outside directors, totaling eleven directors as of March 2012. The outside directors are nominated by the Outside Director Nomination Committee based on their expertise and business leadership, and hold office for less than three years. The BOD chairman is selected from among the outside directors and serves for a one-year term. The BOD consists of five standing subcommittees and two ad hoc subcommittees. If required, additional sub-committees may be set up. The current internal directors are Chang-Gyu Hwang (Chairman & CEO), Hyeon-myung Pyo and Il-yung Kim, and the external directors are Eung Han Kim (Board Chairman), Chun-Ho Lee, Hyun-nak Lee, Byong-won Bahk, Keuk-je Sung, Sang-Kyun Cha, Do-Kyun Song.[14]

Services

Wireless

As of 2012 KT customers can receive the services on any of radio frequency band assigned, one or more of radio interfaces.[15]

frequency range frequency
band 		frequency width Generation Radio interface Assignment terms License Note
800 MHz (811-817,856-862) --- 12 MHz TRS
850 MHz (819-824,864-869) 26 10 MHz 3.9G LTE 50 billion won[16] for 10 years planned
900 MHz (905-915,950-960) 8 20 MHz 3.9G LTE
1800 MHz (1735-1740,1745-1755,1830-1850) 3 35 MHz 3.9G LTE 2G by Jan/Mar 2012
2100 MHz (1960-1980,2150-2170) 1 40 MHz 3.5G W-CDMA 130 billion won for 15 years
2300 MHz (2330-2360) --- 30 MHz 3.9G WiBro 12.68 billion won with rural area support Mar 2019 (for 7 years)

Smartphones and tablets

KT was the first operator in Korea to introduce the iPhone, into the Korean market in November 2009. Then, within just four months since the launch of iPhone 4 in September 2010, KT sold a sales of over 1 million iPhones. KT launched the iPad in November 2010.

Wi-Fi hotspots

KT provides 50,000 Wi-Fi hotspots service under the brand "kt Olleh WiFi zones".

LTE service

KT stopped 2G services in January 2012 for the Seoul area, and March 2012 for entire area of South Korea on the 1.8 GHz frequency, on which KT began LTE service as brand name "Olleh LTE" (올레 엘티이) and finished the LTE network support in all the area of South Korea by June 2012. KT is planning to add 900 MHz in Seoul for dual-band LTE service by the end of 2012.[17]

TRS

KT is the only operator that provides TRS in South Korea, as it merged t-on Telecom in September 2012.

Smart Home Service

In the first half of 2011, kt launched the “Kibot”, a robot specially developed for the education and entertainment of children, which has value-added features, such as more advanced versions of functionalities found on the existing video and Internet phones. In the second half of the year, kt plans to expand beyond voice services by actively pursuing Smart Home services, centering around a rich array of contents.

uCloud Service

In June 2010, kt launched the uCloud service, a service that offers users access to a wide range of IT resources (i.e. infrastructure, platform, software), out of which users can selectively use and pay for just the resources they need. The uCloud service provides online cloud storage via both fixed-line and wireless networks. It can be accessed anywhere via portable devices, enabling users to download data wherever they are. “uCloud” is the name coined for kt’s cloud service, with the “u” standing for “ubiquitous” and simultaneously referring to customers in the second person as “you”.

Mobile TV

kt launched the Mobile TV app service, which enables customers to view live IPTV and video on demand on their smartphones and tablet PCs.

Global business

Uzbekistan

In 2007, KT acquired 54.5% of East Telecom, Uzbekistan’s second-largest fixedline operator, and 60% of the shares of the WiMAX operator, Super iMAX.[18]

South Africa

In 2012, KT and Telkom signed for a consultancy agreement for providing business improvement strategies for mobile sector and iWayAfrica, Telkom’s subsidiary for its VSAT business.[19]

Mongolia

Since 1995, KT has been a major shareholder of Mongolia Telecom. KT dispatched business professionals to Mongolia and operated various training programs.[20] In 2012, KT contracted with the Mongolian government for establishing an Earthquake Disaster Warning System (EDWS).[21]

Brunei

In 2012, KT contracted with the Brunei government to establish National Data Center (NDC) and its operation.[22]

Rwanda

In 2007, KT signed a contract to build a Mobile WiMAX (or WiBro) network in Rwanda.[23] In 2008, KT signed a deal with the Rwandan government to build the backbone its new telecommunication network.[24] In December 2012, KT conducted a national information security project in Rwanda with Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA).[25] In March 2013, KT signed a contract with the Rwandan government to establish the joint venture to build a nationwide mobile LTE network.[26]

Poland

In March 2013, KT, Daewoo International Corporation, and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) signed a contract to establish high-speed Internet network in Podlaskie, Poland.[27] At 21 March 2013, KT, Daewoo International Corporation and two Polish companies signed an agreement with the Poland Podlaskie province for about 18 million USD contract of the broadband project. And also at 3 October 2013, KT consortium signed an agreement with Poland Mazowieckie province for about 130 million USD PPP(Public Private partnership) contract of the broadband project.

KT-sponsored sports teams

KT Sports
Baseball Basketball E-Sports
Shooting Field Hockey Sports

Smart grid investment

Kt is currently involved in the Jeju Smart Place test bed project led by Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, which is being pursued for the purpose of testing and developing smart grid business models. The project is being conducted on 6,000 households in Jeju island’s Gujwa-eup area, and is scheduled to be conducted over a period of 42 months from May 2009 to May 2013. The aim of the project is to provide an integrated energy management service and achieve the means for efficient energy usage by adopting renewable energy sources and energy storage devices. The project is being executed by the kt Consortium, which is composed of kt and 14 other companies, including Samsung SDI, Hyosung, Samsung Electronics, and four contractors, with the focus being to conduct demonstration tests on electric power-communication convergence business models.

References

  1. ↑ "[About kt] Sustainability report - :: Enabling Transformation - Global ICT Convergence Leader ::". Kt.com. 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  2. ↑ "[투자정보] 사업보고서 - :: 사랑 받는 국민기업 - Global ICT Convergence Leader ::". Kt.com. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  3. ↑ Ryu Hyun-Sung (2008). “The IT Myth Continues”. Human Business, p.16. ISBN 978-89-92043-87-8
  4. ↑ Hussain, Tariq (2006). “Diamond Dilemma.” Translated by Lee Se-Min, Random House Korea, p.135. ISBN 89-5986-333-5
  5. ↑ KT, Lee Suk-Chae appointed as...Personnel moves initiated today, Digital Times
  6. ↑ KT Fixed-Mobile Convergence Services QOOK & SHOW Launched, Newsis.
  7. ↑ Components – DJSI WORLD and DJSI WORLD EX US
  8. ↑ KT launches unlimited 3G data services following WiFi services, Economy Today
  9. ↑ munhwa.com, kt Wonderful, Korea Wonderful
  10. ↑ New Year Plan/2011 Business Strategy (3), KT, Focuses on Convergence and Enhancing Customer Satisfaction
  11. ↑ "KT signs master agreement with Woori and Busan Banks". Moneytoday.co.kr. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  12. ↑   (2012-01-02). "KT aims for 4 million LTE subscribers". Koreaherald.com. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  13. ↑ "Sustainability Indexes - Review". Sustainability-indexes.com. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  14. ↑ "[Investor Relations] The Board of Directors - :: Enabling Transformation - Global ICT Convergence Leader ::". Kt.com. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  15. ↑ "Korean Mobile frequency as of 27 Sep 2012". slowtime. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  16. ↑ "KT is not doing good with lte service". Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  17. ↑ "KT will add LTE 900 by end of 2012 in seoul". Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  18. ↑ "[kt Business] Global Investment - :: Enabling Transformation - Global ICT Convergence Leader ::". Kt.com. 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  19. ↑ "Operational Overview - Annual Results 2012 - Financial - Telkom Investor Relations". Secure1.telkom.co.za. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  20. ↑ "[kt Business] Global Investment - :: Enabling Transformation - Global ICT Convergence Leader ::". Kt.com. 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  21. ↑ "MK News - KT to export earthquake early warning system to Mongolia". News.mk.co.kr. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  22. ↑ "The Korea Herald-mobile". M.koreaherald.com. 2012-12-20. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  23. ↑ "KT Leads Telecom Industrys Globalization". Koreatimes.co.kr. 2007-11-29. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  24. ↑ "KT wins contract to build Rwanda`s backbone network : 네이버 뉴스" (in Korean). News.naver.com. 2008-10-09. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  25. ↑ Eden Estopace (2013-01-03). "KT to help strengthen Rwanda's IT security". Telecom Asia. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  26. ↑ "KT to build LTE network in Rwanda". Koreatimes.co.kr. 2013-03-10. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  27. ↑ "KT Corp and Daewoo International Corp Get KRW 23 Billion Broadband Project in Poland-Dow Jones". Reuters.
  28. ↑ "sports.kt.com". sports.kt.com. 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2013-09-30.
  29. ↑ "수원-KT 프로야구 10구단 최종 승인". kyeonggi.com. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  30. ↑ "kfa.or.kr". kfa.or.kr. Retrieved 2013-09-30.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Korea Telecom.