The Korea Communications Commission says it has finalized its plan to build an information ultra highway by constructing a massive Internet Protocol network. The internet ultra highway will enable users to transmit data at an average speed of one gigabyte per second through fixed-line connections and maintain the rate of ten megabytes per second on wireless connections. The speeds are ten times faster than existing broadband and third-generation networks. KCC says it plans to invest a total of 34 trillion won or 24.6 billion U.S. dollars over the next five years to build the network that will allow quick access Koreans to information anytime, anywhere via any device.

Fixed-Line, Wireless UBcN

Ultra Broadband convergence Network or UBcN, slated for completion in 2012, is like a vast highway that allows many different kinds of electric signals to pass through at once. This has two benefits. One of them is high speed transmission—more than two million electric signals in a single second. It also means many different kinds of signals can be transmitted at once. In other words, the network combines fixed-line, wireless, broadcast and Internet services. Traditionally, if one were to use a fixed-line telephone, cable TV and Internet, he or she had to install three separate lines for those three services. With the Broadband convergence Network, a user only needed to install one cable line to use all three services. Ultra Broadband convergence Network goes one step further, combining all kinds of networks including fixed-line, wireless, broadcast and communications.

Speed

The most important element of the UBcN is its high speed. In order to provide users with a high-definition video service, the network has to operate at high speeds. Once completed, the speed of UBcN will be ten times faster than the existing BcN. The new internet ultra highway will enable users to transmit data at an average speed of one gigabyte per second through fixed-line connections and maintain the average rate of ten megabytes per second on wireless connections.

Plan to Build An Information Ultra Highway

Korea Communications Commission’s plan is to build the world’s number one two-way information ultra highway by 2012. A total of 34 trillion won, made up of 1.3 trillion won in state budget and 32.8 trillion won in private funds will be invested into the ambitious project.

Overview of the Plan

Services Content Backbone Network 70 percent of the country's circuit-switched network, used for fixed-line telephony, will be replaced with an IP network by 2012. Existing fixed-line telephony will be switched to VoIP. Fixed-line Network 14 million subscribers will receive Broadband convergence Network services with transmission speeds of up to 100Mbps by 2012. Starting in 2012, the government plans to build a 1Gbps-level Ultra Broadband convergence Network in large cities that will provide broadband services with speeds ten times faster than existing services. Wireless Network Will launch a 3.9G/4G ultra broadband service that will enable users to transmit data at an average speed of ten megabytes per second on wireless connections. Broadcast Network A two-way infrastructure will allow users to conduct e-commerce while watching not only IPTV but also land-wave TV by 2010. The government also plans to expand the existing digital broadcast coverage from the current 87% to 96%.

Significance of Information Ultra Highway

The information ultra highway will provide users with an ultra high definition TV with as little as four to as much as 16 times higher definition than the existing HDTV service. Through the two-way high-definition TV service, users will be able to enjoy a wide range of services including education and e-commerce. People will be able to enjoy high-speed internet, telephone and wireless IPTV services anytime, anywhere with a converged mobile device. The information ultra highway will truly revolutionize people’s everyday lives. KCC expects the new network to create 17.7 trillion won worth of high value-added businesses, 48.5 trillion won worth of production benefits as well as 120,000 new jobs.