Intel and KT Corp. in South Korea are collaborating to expand WiBro to several new areas of South Korea and make the Korean technology compatible with mobile WiMAX technology.
Intel Capital will invest $20 million in WiBro Infra Co., a joint venture with KT, Samsung Electronics and KB Investment Co., as part of the deal. Intel and KT, formerly Korea Telecom, are also collaborating to launch laptops and netbooks with Intel processors and WiMAX chips in South Korea, the companies said in a statement.
In April, KT signed a memorandum of understanding with Intel to collaborate on WiMAX technology. The deal called for Intel to produce a chipset just for Korea's WiMAX bands.
KT now plans to launch WiBro service in another five major cities and expressways in South Korea this week. By March 2011, KT aims to offer WiBro services to 82 cities, covering 85 percent of South Korea's population.
The WiBro network is part of a plan to prepare for a data explosion thanks to the popularity of smartphones and tablets. In July, KT announced a $4.5-billion five-year spending plan to expand its WCDMA network, WiFi and WiBro network.
Beginning Oct. 1, laptops and netbooks with Intel Core and Atom processors inside along with Intel-embedded WiMAX chips, will become available in South Korea from PC vendors including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and Acer.
For more:
- see this IDG News article
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