Starbucks Korea Establishes World's First 10Gbps Internet-Based '10 GiGA WiFi'
New security-enhanced SSID available to all customers at all stores nationwide.

KT announced on the 17th that it will be partnering with Starbucks Coffee Korea to provide 10G internet-based "10 GiGA WiFi" to Starbucks stores in Korea. As a result, customers visiting Starbucks stores equipped with 10 GiGA WiFi will be able to experience "10 GiGA WiFi" in advance for the first time in the world.

KT's "10 GiGA WiFi"-equipped stores include the largest in Korea, "The Jongno," which opened in December, as well as "Starfield COEX Mall R," and "Gangnam Kyobo Tower R." These three locations are expected to offer the most advanced WiFi service worldwide. KT plans to expand the 10 GiGA WiFi service, focusing on Starbucks Reserve stores.
KT, the leading domestic provider of wired internet and Wi-Fi services, has been accelerating the commercialization of next-generation Wi-Fi and 10G internet since late 2017. The 10 GiGA WiFi service built at this Starbucks applies the 'IEEE 802.11ax standard', the next-generation WiFi technology commercialized for the first time in the world by KT in 2017, and the '10G Internet', the next-generation Internet technology.

10 GiGA WiFi is a 10G Internet-based service that implements the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11ax, with a maximum speed of approximately 4.8 Gbps, which is approximately three times faster than the existing technology 802.11ac (maximum speed 1.7 Gbps).

In addition, the key technologies of 802.11ax, OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Access)* and MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multi Input Multi Output)*, have been dramatically improved to overcome the limitations of existing Wi-Fi technologies and the problem of quality degradation when many subscribers are connected. As a result, it is expected that the perceived speed for customers will improve by about 2 to 4 times or more even during peak hours when there are many simultaneous users.

Previously, Wi-Fi speeds were limited by the limitations of Internet infrastructure (1 Gbps). However, the implementation of 10G Internet infrastructure will enable the full performance of next-generation Wi-Fi. This is expected to be a significant turning point in overcoming existing limitations in implementing next-generation Wi-Fi performance.

KT has already operated the next-generation Wi-Fi (802.11ax standard) so that customers can experience it at the KT Square in Gwanghwamun in December last year and at the Pyeongchang Olympics earlier this year, and plans to expand it to Starbucks Reserve stores nationwide starting with three stores on July 17th, which have many Wi-Fi users, by September.

Meanwhile, KT plans to implement security technology that will allow for more secure Wi-Fi use starting in August, along with the construction of 10 GiGA Wi-Fi. Starting in August, all customers visiting Starbucks stores will be able to use the Wi-Fi service more securely by connecting to a security-enhanced identifier (SSID: Service Set Identifier).

To connect to a secure SSID, simply select the Wi-Fi (tentative name: KT_starbucks_Secure) from the Wi-Fi list, enter the ID/password announced at the store, and then use the Internet.

KT’s Park Hyun-jin, head of the wired and wireless marketing division, said, “KT has collaborated with Starbucks to showcase KT’s excellent 10G internet infrastructure and next-generation Wi-Fi technology to customers,” and added, “KT will continue to strive to provide faster and safer Wi-Fi services that customers can experience.”