ASIA : KT Corp and Navini Networks announced the successful completion of the first phase of a technical field trial testing the ability to retain a wide-area wireless broadband (WWAN) connection in a mobile environment. Korea continues to lead the way globally with innovative WWAN broadband trials, and mobility is one of the key parameters now being evaluated.

Inset is the Navini Ripwave PCMCIA card being used by KT Corp.

"About 80% of Korean residents have broadband access, which means Korea has the highest broadband penetration in the world," said Dr. Jong-Seog Koh, vice president of the KT Next Generation Wireless Team. "Broadband access to the Internet has become a part of typical Korean life, and Korean consumers would like to have the same broadband connectivity anywhere and any time outside their homes. Although several Korean operators have deployed 2.5G and 3G networks such as 1XRTT, 1XEV-DO/DV, and UMTS, as well as thousands of WiFi hot spots, the data rates, capacity, and coverage are still not sufficient to meet the rapidly growing demand for broadband access anywhere and any time in Korea. The Korean government has recognized this and decided to allocate more than 100MHz of spectrum dedicated to the Portable Internet project."

"KT is a leading operator now conducting trials of next-generation portable WWAN technology. Navini Networks is a promising start-up company cooperating on the KT Portable Internet trial project, and we are pleased to work with Navini to conduct the extensive Portable Internet technical trial on its Ripwave™ products," Dr. Koh added.

The next-generation portable WWAN technology trials over the past several months in Korea by KT and other operators have continued to demonstrate increased wireless broadband functionality and features that reach levels not seen anywhere else in the world today. Using Navini's Ripwave product line, engineers with KT Corp. and Navini have demonstrated the ability to maintain a high bandwidth wireless connection in a PCS like footprint at vehicular speeds. The broadband link was seamlessly handed over from one base station to another without causing any service interruption in a complete frequency reuse deployment. The Korean WWAN technology trials have shown an exciting escalation in the evaluation of next-generation wireless suppliers by KT and other operators.

"During the field trial, Navini Networks has shown excellent progress in their efforts to meet our stringent requirements. Our market is demanding broadband data speeds including Internet surfing, online gaming and video/audio on demand in a mobile setting, and Navini has definitely raised the bar by demonstrating this capability in a dense urban environment like downtown Seoul with complete frequency reuse deployment," said Dr. Seong-Choon Lee, Director of Service Development Laboratory of KT Corp, who is responsible for the KT Portable Internet Project trial.

Navini Networks has deployed a number of base stations and supporting broadband modems, as well as the latest market-leading Ripwave PCMCIA card in order to execute KT's test plans. As such, this has led to many late night drive tests in order to allow for sufficient driving speeds and other requirements for stress tests.

Navini has performed numerous technical and market trials with customers all over the world. "We would rank the KT's trial team as one of the most capable teams with whom we have worked -- composed of numerous hard working PhDs and subject matter experts in the areas of wireless broadband and Internet technologies. Their test plan was most extensive and relevant to the KT Portable Internet business case analyses. We are extremely pleased to work with such a sophisticated customer in one of the most difficult wireless environments in an effort to make our products even more robust," added Dr. Guanghan Xu, founder and CTO of Navini Networks.

"We are continuing to work with our best customers around the world to meet the needs of the marketplace very aggressively," observed Alastair Westgarth, president and chief executive officer of Navini Networks. "The fact that we reached this major milestone the first time with KT is a substantial joint accomplishment."