[Concall] KT "5G Standalone Mode Shows True Value in AR and Autonomous Vehicle Technologies"

Q2 KT Earnings Presentation Conference Call

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] KT stated during the 2021 Q2 KT earnings conference call held on the afternoon of the 10th that "5G Standalone mode (SA) is essential for implementing the true 5G service, especially in terms of network slicing, due to its low power and low latency technology."

Earlier, on the 15th of last month, KT became the first among the three domestic mobile carriers to introduce 5G SA service on some device models. Unlike the non-standalone mode (NSA), which operates alongside existing LTE, 5G SA processes both data and control signals entirely on the 5G network, earning it the name "real 5G."

KT emphasized, "As technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), smart factories, and autonomous vehicles accelerate in development, the distinctive value of SA will emerge," adding, "Although demand is not yet widespread, it will attract attention in the future."

Regarding concerns about the cost of building 5G SA, KT drew a clear line. KT explained, "From a capital expenditure (CAPEX) perspective, only a small-scale software investment is required, which has already been completed," and added, "From an operational expenditure (OPEX) perspective, once the 5G single network is established, there will be cost reduction effects."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.