Detailed 5G network construction even in areas where fiber optic cable deployment is difficult
Stable even in bad weather thanks to automatic wireless modulation technology


SK Telecom announced on the 15th that it is introducing 5G wireless fronthaul equipment to provide 5G services even in areas where it is difficult to lay fiber optic cables.
In early October, SKT installed 5G wireless fronthaul equipment on the domestic 5G commercial network in Jinju, Gyeongnam, for the first time. Since then, starting with Jinju, installations have been prioritized in older urban areas where fiber optic line construction is difficult, and are currently being expanded to island regions and inland mountainous areas.

'Fronthaul' refers to the fiber-optic cable-based wired section that transmits data signals collected from base station antennas to distribution units; however, equipment installation was restricted in old urban areas or island and mountainous regions because it is difficult to bury fiber-optic cables underground.

However, the newly introduced '5G wireless fronthaul equipment' is equipment that enables the provision of seamless 5G services by connecting wirelessly without connecting optical cables.

SKT expects to be able to build 5G networks more precisely even in areas where it is difficult to construct fiber optic cables, such as old downtown areas where water and gas pipes are intricately intertwined like a spiderweb, islands without roads connecting to the mainland, and deep in the mountains.

SKT has adopted automatic wireless modulation technology to minimize the impact of the wireless environment even in severe weather conditions such as heavy snow or rain, thereby enabling the provision of stable quality.

In addition, this equipment adopts eCPRI (Ethernet-based Common Public Radio Interface), a 5G fronthole interface standard, which can increase traffic capacity by more than four times compared to existing equipment, thereby maximizing network operation efficiency.

SKT Infra Engineering Group Leader Heo Geun-man stated, “We will strive to provide SKT’s unique and differentiated highest level of mobile communication quality through the advancement of our 5G network.”