South Korean mobile network operator KT Corp has reportedly selected Finland’s Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) as one of the vendors that will work on the deployment of its fourth-generation Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. According to NSN, it will provide its 1800MHz LTE radio equipment for the infrastructure rollout, including its Flexi Multiradio base stations, and the vendor has said it will also provide services including network integration and commissioning as part of its deal with KT. NSNs’ NetAct operations support system meanwhile will reportedly enable effective monitoring, management and optimisation of KT’s LTE infrastructure.
The vendor notes that KT is planning to meet growing demand for mobile broadband and smartphone data by refarming its 1800MHz spectrum, and commenting on the plans to reuse existing spectrum, Paul Tyler, head of Asia Pacific region for NSN, noted: ‘Re-use of spectrum has become all the more vital due to its limited availability and the increasing use of smartphones and rich applications … Spectrum re-farming is emerging as a viable option for operators looking to better allocate existing spectrum cost efficiently and provide next-generation LTE services that offer a better customer experience.’