SK Telecom (SKT), South Korea’s largest cellco by subscribers, has reportedly outlined plans to launch what it claimed will be the world’s first pilot LTE-Maritime network as part of a project led by the country’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. According to Telecom Asia, the operator is aiming to construct the test infrastructure by May 2016 in the east sea of South Korea, with the network expected to enable high-speed data communications for ships as far as 100km offshore. It is understood that in the trial of the technology radio signals transmitted from a high-gain antenna at high altitude will be received by an LTE-Maritime router on a ship, with these then being converted into Wi-Fi. To support the trial SKT will reportedly develop the antenna as well as an LTE-Maritime route which is capable of withstanding typical environmental challenges at sea, such as high humidity, strong wind and salt-laden air.
Commenting on the plans, SKT’s head of network strategy Choi Seung-won was cited as saying: ‘SK Telecom will successfully deploy LTE-Maritime, high-speed maritime wireless communications network, by leveraging its extensive expertise in communications technologies, and thereby contribute to enhanced safety of ships.’