The Ministry of SMEs and Startups, KT, and SME Iruon are collaborating to strengthen the competitiveness of 5G equipment based on original technology for 5G specialized network equipment.

KT announced on the 21st that it held a ceremony at its 'Iruon' building in Pangyo, Gyeonggi-do to commemorate the completion of the joint development of 'core equipment,' a key component of the 5G specialized network.

A 5G specialized network is an enterprise 5G network that builds and operates its own wireless network for specific purposes in a limited area. It is faster and more stable than the shared 5G networks of the three mobile carriers, and its utility is expected to be high as it enables the implementation of real-time services based on large-capacity data, such as VR, AR, remote control, and autonomous driving, based on ultra-high speed, low latency, and ultra-connectivity characteristics.

The 'core equipment' developed this time is a core infrastructure for 5G specialized networks and performs functions such as connection, authentication, traffic control, and subscriber management for terminals within the specialized network.

Since last September, 5G equipment specialist 'Iruon' has participated as a developer in a demand-based joint technology development project proposed by KT. KT transferred its proprietary technology to help shorten development time and improve performance.

The 'core equipment' holds significance as a result created jointly by the government, large corporations, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). KT stated, "We expect this to serve as an opportunity to replace the 5G specialized network equipment market, currently monopolized by large corporations and foreign companies, with products from domestic SMEs that possess technological prowess and price competitiveness."

KT plans to support the developer, Iruon, so that the equipment can enter overseas markets. It will introduce the developed equipment at MWC 2023, which will be held in Spain at the end of this month, and provide necessary marketing support to Iruon.

The cooperative stated, “Given the trend of major governments around the world competing to supply dedicated frequencies for 5G specialized networks to support market revitalization, strong performance is expected in various areas utilizing 5G specialized networks, such as smart factories, logistics automation, robots, AI, cloud services, digital twins, and metaverse.”

"We will continue to cooperate with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups this year through contributions to the joint R&D fund," said Cho Hoon, Executive Vice President and Head of KT's SCM Strategy Office. "Based on the core technologies for 5G specialized network equipment secured through the combined efforts of the government, large corporations, and SMEs, we will strengthen the competitiveness of our 5G equipment and lay the foundation to enter the global market."