SK Telecom, Nokia Networks demonstrate LTE low power communication technology for IoT in Korea
- First demonstration of LTE low power communication technology for Internet of Things (IoT) devices in Korea
- Highlights the capabilities of Power Saving Mode in extending the battery life of IoT modems to more than10 years
- Validates the potential of half-duplex mode as a viable means to increase IoT connectivity efficiency
Seoul, Korea – 17 November 2015
Power management will be a critical element of the future programmable world, where some 50bn devices* will be connected in 2025. SK Telecom and Nokia Networks have taken a concrete step towards this future, showcasing IoT connectivity with Power Saving Mode for the first time in the country. The over-the-air trial was conducted in a test bed within SK Telecom’s network technology R&D center, using Nokia’s Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station and IoT devices provided by GCT Semiconductor. In essence, low power IoT technology streamlines device operation to essential capabilities, and switches to Power Saving Mode when there is no data transmission needed, thus enabling significant reduction in power consumption.
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Key advantages of implementing LTE-based low power technology for IoT:
- LTE-RAN support for upcoming LTE-based modems in half-duplex mode allows manufacturers to reduce modem complexity and cut costs
- Power Saving Mode, a universal functionality in these LTE-based IoT modems, enables extension of battery life to 10 years-plus for autonomous operations**
- With Power Saving Mode activated, location-tracking devices, or data-collection devices that monitor water or gas usage, are able to run for more than a decade without power supply or battery replacement
Jin-hyo Park, Senior Vice President and Head of Network Technology R&D center, SK Telecom, said: “With this trial, we have successfully verified the capabilities of our IoT technology in resolving challenges posed by power supply and inefficient battery use, which are obstructing the widespread adoption of IoT devices. In collaboration with Nokia Networks, we will continue to push the boundaries for IoT and pave the path for broader application of services powered by this next-generation technology.”
Andrew Cope, Head of Korea, Nokia Networks, said: “This achievement, a country-first, adds another important dimension to our relationship with SK Telecom as we set the pace for the telecommunications industry in Korea. Moreover, it underlines our focus on setting the platform for the global adoption of LTE as a technology-of-choice for IoT, evolving to NB-LTE for IoT in the future, as we head towards a world where everyone and everything is connected.This marks yet another step forward on Nokia’s goal of bringing NB-LTE to life.”
Did you know?
In Korea, more than 99% of the population is under LTE coverage. The GSMA expects that 63% of the world’s population will have access to LTE by 2020. As such, LTE is the ideal connectivity technology that synergizes efficiency, global scale and reach to deliver the best-in-class service experience to subscribers.
Resources:
- IoT webpage
- LTE webpage
- Whitepaper: LTE-M – Optimizing LTE for the Internet of Things
- Blog: Is Sigfox/LoRa the new WiMAX?
Connect with Nokia Networks:
TAGS: IoT, Korea, LTE-M, Nokia Networks
About SK Telecom
SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM, KSE: 017670), established in 1984, is Korea’s largest telecommunications company with more than 28 million mobile subscribers, accounting for around 50% of the market. The company reached KRW 17.164 trillion in revenue in 2014. As the world’s first company to commercialize CDMA, CDMA 2000 1x, CDMA EV-DO and HSDPA networks, SK Telecom launched the nation’s first LTE service in July 2011. SK Telecom also became the world’s first mobile carrier to commercialize 150Mbps LTE-Advanced in June 2013 and 225Mbps LTE-Advanced in June 2014 through Carrier Aggregation(CA). In line with its efforts to swiftly move towards the next-generation mobile network system, or 5G, it successfully commercialized 300Mbps tri-band LTE-A CA. As of the end of June 2015, the company has over 17.9 million LTE and LTE-Advanced subscribers. Based on its strength in network operations business, SK Telecom is seeking new growth engines through three innovative platforms namely Lifestyle Enhancement Platform, Advanced Media Platform and IoT Service Platform. For more information, please visit www.sktelecom.com or email to skt_press@sk.com.
About Nokia
By focusing on the human possibilities of technology, Nokia embraces the connected world to help people thrive. Our three businesses are leaders in their fields: Nokia Networks provides broadband infrastructure, software and services; HERE provides mapping, navigation and location intelligence; and Nokia Technologies provides advanced technology development and licensing.
Nokia Networks, which provides broadband infrastructure, software and services, operates at the forefront of our industry. From the first ever call on GSM to the first call on LTE, we have set the pace of innovation, a record that continues with future technologies such as 5G. Together with our operator customers, who serve close to 5 billion subscribers, we are embracing the opportunity of the connected world and helping to solve its challenges.
