KT announced that it will build an NB-IoT network, a dedicated communications network for the Internet of Small Things, and begin commercial services in Seoul and the metropolitan area.

Following the commercialization of LTE-M in March of last year, NB-IoT has also been commercialized, providing LTE-M and NB-IoT commercial services in the field of small-scale Internet of Things networks as standard specifications. NB-IoT can provide services not only above ground but also underground spaces such as water supply and sewage systems and gas pipes. In addition, it is a service without signal interference as it is a KT-only certified band.

KT plans to develop its business in a hybrid form, providing services based on LTE-M for areas requiring data transmission and NB-IoT for areas requiring low-speed transmission of small amounts of data.

To commercialize NB-IoT networks, we are conducting beta tests of location tracking using Samsung and mobile NB-IoT terminals' multi-purpose location trackers.

The multi-purpose location tracker provides services based on GPS, WPS, and base station location, enabling more precise location tracking than existing trackers. It is expected to be utilized in various fields such as relieving parents' anxiety about their children's safety, which has been rapidly increasing recently, and confirming the location of pets, elderly people with dementia, high-value personal assets, and rental products.

KT GiGA IoT Business Unit Manager Kim Jun-geun said, “KT’s commercialization of the Seoul/metropolitan area network and Samsung’s beta service are the beginning of this year’s IoT business strategy. While completing the nationwide network construction within the first half of the year, we will actively pursue various IoT businesses such as gas control, intrusion detection, parking control, and air quality monitoring.”