A new Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between two market-leading operators in Asia. China Mobile and South Korean SK Telecom (SKT) have agreed to pool their resources and develop next-generation networks, operating systems, M2M services and applications.
The aims of the partnership, according to SKT’s official statement, are to conduct “joint research in the advancement of low cost, high efficiency next generation radio access network architecture, such as SCAN(Smart Cloud Access Network) and [the] set up [of] test beds for evaluation”; to develop “device software platform[s] to provide application developers with better development environments;” to “lead global standardisation of new platform business including M2M by building a joint R&D laboratory;” and to capitalise upon “both companies' capabilities in application stores while also cooperating in WAC related areas.”
The two operators have experience of working together, and have prior experience of jointly developing LTE technology, with a particular emphasis on TD-LTE. South Korea’s increasingly saturated mobile market has prompted SKT to investigate ways of pushing its business into other areas, including expanding into other territories – as the biggest mobile market in the world, China is an obvious choice.
“With this latest MoU in China, SK Telecom aims to establish itself as a 'Global ICT Leader' in the Chinese market and strengthen its technological leadership in the international market”, read the firm’s official statement.
