WiBro in Korea: Ambitious Launch - Turbulent Take Off

In 2006 South Korea became the first country to launch Mobile WiMAX/WiBro services. Operators were once ambitious about subscriber growth, but soon disappointed by the reality. The limited network coverage and available user devices significantly impacted the subscriber growth. By the end of 2006, the total users were just above 1,000.

In an effort to increase subscribers, KT is pushing device makers to come out with a wider selection of WiBro phones, USB dongles, and computers. It is also trying to provide various content services. SK Telecom, on the other hand, has decided to wait for KT to drive the market development before committing substantial recourses on WiBro. Meanwhile, South Korea WiBro vendors and operators are trying to reach out to the vast international market. In-Stat believes that as wireless broadband is on the rising edge globally, South Korean players surely have the chance to make the gains!