PS-LTE standard communication network completed
Securing Target Coverage for the Disaster Network
Seoul-Daegu-Jeju Operation Centers Established

On December 20, KT signed the main project contracts for Disaster Network A and B with the Public Procurement Service. On the afternoon of December 21, KT attended the 'Disaster Safety Communication Network Main Project Kick-off Meeting' held at the Government Complex Seoul and presented the report on the commencement of the main project for Disaster Network A and B.

The kick-off meeting was attended by approximately 220 people, including the Head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, the Head of the Disaster Management Office, the Director of Disaster Management Policy, and representatives from relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The meeting proceeded in the order of a presentation on the progress of the project, a kick-off report, and a Q&A session.
At the kick-off meeting held on this day, KT presented three goals: completion of the PS-LTE standard communication network, securing target coverage for the disaster network, and stable operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and announced plans to establish an integrated command system for disaster sites.

KT, which is carrying out projects A and B of the overall project, will establish the disaster network operation center and assume the role of the control tower.

The disaster network operation center is established in three locations: Seoul, Daegu, and Jeju (branch office), equipped with a powerful backup system. Center 1 in Seoul and Center 2 in Daegu are operated to have the same system and functions, and an emergency backup operations center is also established in Jeju.

Even if widespread base station failures occur during a disaster, emergency communication is made possible through 'umbrella cells' installed at KT's high-altitude relay stations, ensuring that the disaster network operates without problems even in the event of an accident or power outage.

KT was selected as the first operator for the Public Safety LTE (PS-LTE) pilot project in 2015 and successfully carried out the pilot project. It is the only operator to have built and operated all three public safety communication networks, including the Maritime Wireless Network (LTE-M) pilot project and multiple Railway Integrated Wireless Network (LTE-R) projects.

Recently, it has been continuously leading the public safety communication network sector by winning the construction, operation, and maintenance of the main disaster safety communication network project and the first phase of the Gyeongbu Line integrated railway wireless network project.

"KT will leverage its strengths in having experience with all three public safety network projects—disaster, maritime, and railway—to act as a control tower overseeing the entire disaster safety communication network project," said Park Yoon-young, Vice President and Head of KT's Corporate Business Division. "KT will do its utmost to build a disaster safety communication network to protect the safety of the public, together with small and medium-sized partners and operators in other regions."