KT Partners with Domestic SMEs to Localize Core Network Equipment

by Lim Hyeseon

Published 25 Apr.2023 09:45(KST)

On the 25th, KT announced that it has successfully developed a 'Small Cell Gateway' in collaboration with network equipment specialist Iruon.

The Small Cell Gateway is a system that aggregates multiple small cell base stations, connects them to LTE and 5G core networks, and provides a secure communication environment for small cell base station users through encryption. The key feature is its ability to increase network capacity in shadow areas where signals from large base stations are weak or unavailable.

The developed equipment is a high-capacity gateway capable of accommodating up to 100,000 small cell base stations. It supports the DECOR function, which allows the expansion of small cell services to 5G subscribers without replacing existing small cell base stations, resulting in significant cost savings.

KT employees are testing domestically produced network equipment created in collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises.

Previously used foreign equipment could not provide functions specialized for Korea, such as disaster messages, limiting the expansion of small cell services. KT overcame these challenges by providing know-how related to small cell base stations and core networks, supporting research and development personnel and quality experts, and assisting throughout the entire process from design to product reliability verification.

This equipment was contracted at the end of last month and is scheduled to be introduced on-site next month. KT plans to replace the previously used foreign equipment with domestic products and support global expansion in the future.

The innovation in 5G wireless communication optical repeaters is also a result achieved in collaboration with partners. KT, together with its optical repeater partner Solid, unveiled a 'One-Chip Solution' that integrates six major control and processing chips into a single chip. The 5G optical repeater applying the 'One-Chip Solution' was developed domestically for the first time as an integrated device covering not only the 3.5GHz 5G service band but also the 1.8GHz and 2.1GHz LTE service bands.

Currently, KT is focusing on quality assurance through thorough verification of the completed prototype, with a contract scheduled for the end of this month and introduction planned for the second half of the year.

Existing optical repeaters were configured with separate control and processing modules for each service band such as 3.5GHz, 1.8GHz, and 2.1GHz, mixed and mounted for operation. This resulted in larger equipment size and a complex internal interface structure, making maintenance difficult. Additionally, during mass production, assembling individual modules reduced productivity and required many components, causing challenges in production management such as global component supply instability.

By applying the 'One-Chip Solution' to KT’s 5G optical repeaters, the number of components has been drastically reduced, enabling partners to cut costs and improve productivity through simplified manufacturing processes. KT is expected to enhance equipment efficiency, making installation and operation more convenient.