Samsung and KT Launch 5G Standalone in South Korea

Samsung Electronics and KT Corporation (KT)  revealed on 15 July 2021 that they have successfully launched Korea’s first commercial 5G standalone  network, activating next-generation service in the country. This achievement follows the two companies’ recent cooperation on the deployment of Korea’s first 5G SA and also Non-Standalone (NSA) common core in the commercial network.

Since then, Samsung as well as KT have actually been planning for 5G SA launch with multiple tests and trials in KT’s important workplaces as well as in city locations. Today’s deployment will help accelerate KT’s 5G vision to provide socio-economic value and also enhanced customer experiences throughout Korea through the advancement of 5G.

Youngsoo Seo, Senior Vice President and Director of Network Research Technology Unit, Network Group at KT “5G SA service will be an important step in unlocking the full potential of 5G and it will bring new value to our customers,”. “As a digital platform company, KT will continue to make efforts to help drive Korea’s Digital New Deal and ensure our customers enjoy the best experiences and opportunities that 5G has to offer.”

The implementation of 5G SA networks opens up new business possibilities for company, allowing them to decrease time-to-service, and speed up a new generation of use cases as well as opportunities for consumers as well as businesses.

For this commercial launch, Samsung gave KT its end-to-end 5G network services from Radio Access Network (RAN) to Core. KT facilitated a smooth shift to 5G SA by utilizing Samsung’s 5G RAN and Core, which can support both 5G SA and also NSA simultaneously.