KT-ETRI plans to expand IoT ecosystem through technology exchange with SMEs
Development of terminal chipset (SoC) to begin in February

KT announced that it has succeeded in developing 'NB-IoT' terminal technology that can provide Internet of Things services to wide areas with low power through technological cooperation between ETRI (Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) and small and medium-sized enterprises.

KT provided an open IoT service platform and terminal verification environment, and ETRI was responsible for designing the NB-IoT system. In addition, participating SMEs were in charge of developing modems, protocols, devices, and RFICs, and all participating companies and organizations completed the entire process from design to development through technical exchanges.

In addition, KT and ETRI held a technology demonstration event with small and medium-sized enterprises at the ETRI Research Institute in Daejeon, unveiling NB-IoT demonstration terminals and demonstrating IoT services utilizing the terminals, including 'Total Vehicle Care' and 'Smart Parking' services.


▲ ETRI Mobile Application Modem Research Lab Director Kwon-do Cho is giving a presentation on the ‘smart parking’ service.
From left, IITP Mobile Communications CP Lee Jae-hak, ETRI Director Cho Kwon-do, and KT Senior Researcher Shin Kyeong-seop

The 'Vehicle Total Care' service unveiled on this day is a service that immediately notifies the car owner and the security center to respond when an intrusion is detected through the vehicle's door opening detection sensor, and the 'Smart Parking' service is a service that provides real-time parking space information to a smartphone through the vehicle detection sensor.

After verifying compatibility with commercial NB-IoT terminal test equipment, the demonstration terminal will begin development of a terminal chipset (SoC: System on Chip) in February and work toward domestic production.

ETRI Jeong Hyeon-gyu, head of the 5G Giga Service Research Division, said, “We expect this technology to be an innovative technology for activating IoT services across industries,” he said. “We plan to continue to work with small and medium-sized businesses to increase the utilization of terminals and base stations and provide diverse IoT services in the future, and strive for commercialization.”

KT Convergence Technology Institute Director Lee Dong-myeon said, “The successful demonstration of NB-IoT terminal technology this time is the result of KT and ETRI’s continuous efforts to vitalize the Internet of Things ecosystem through cooperation with domestic SMEs,” and “KT will continue to work to vitalize the SME ecosystem based on the KT Internet of Things platform along with the localization of NB-IoT terminal chipsets.”