IT Leader / President Lee Ki-tae Samsung Electronics gears up for worldwide marketing of WiBro, the locally-developed portable Internet. With the global interest in the next-generation mobile communication technology WiBro growing, Samsung Electronics has begun to push for globalization of WiBro, the locally developed portable Internet. The world's third-largest cell phone producer has set 2006 as the first year to expand the WiBro business to the world in earnest. In 2006, Samsung plans to commercialize the WiBro business in earnest and supply WiBro to major communication carriers in the world. After concluding a contract with Sprint Nextel of the United States, BT of Britain, KDDI of Japan and TVA of Brazil last year, Samsung has been making a strong push for commercialization of the WiBro business. Accordingly, Samsung's WiBro is expected to spread to the Five Oceans and the Six Continents this year. Samsung Electronics Telecommunication Network, President Lee Ki-tae said, 'Since the nation's successful hosting of the APEC, major communication carriers in the world have been expressing keen interest in WiBro, requesting Samsung to offer the WiBro exemplary service. As a result, the nation's WiBro service is expected to rush into foreign markets this year.' In particular, Samsung Electronics has completed all necessary preparations for commercialization of WiBro, including terminal and system. Samsung' WiBro is now equipped with various conditions to advance into foreign markets. At the APEC held in Busan, the world's major communication carriers paid keen attention to mobile phones and smart phone-style WiBro terminals. Particularly, they were amazed at the fact that the WiBro service was made perfectly in a car running at a speed of over 100km per hour. As WiBro was officially adopted as the mobile WiMax, the broadband wireless access international technology standard, in December last year, WiBro is expected to emerge as one of the world's communication technologies in earnest from this year. For international standardization of WiBro, Samsung exerted best efforts by advancing its researchers to the board of directors of WiMax Forum and the council of chairmen. Samsung President Lee said, 'At present, of 400-odd member companies of WiMax Forum, about 300 companies or 75 percent of the total are supporting WiBro (mobile WiMax).' If WiBro secures its firm position as an international standard technology, South Korea will secure standard of the world's mobile Internet market, raising the possibility of grasping the leadership in the world's thirdgeneration mobile communication market, he said. 'Through globalization of WiBro, the pure locally developed communication technology, we will create a successful myth of Korea's IT. 2006 will be the first year for globalization of WiBro,' said Lee. WiBro is the homegrown portable Internet that enables people on the move to remain hooked up to the Internet at the speed of the current fixed-line broadband. It boasts of the highest data transmission speed among mobile communication technologies. In case of succeeding in commercializing WiBro, we can download 36-page newspaper within 0.7 seconds and the MP3 10 melodies within 24 seconds. Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics has accelerated its 'molding marketing' activities, which herald the brand and vision of Samsung handsets to the world. Samsung established six moldings showing a hand with a Samsung handset at major international airports in the world last year, including Johannes burg International Airport in South America. It set up the moldings at an airport road in Jakarta in March last year, at the entrance of London airport in April, an airport road in Sydney in May, and a downtown in Bangkok in June. Ahead of this, Samsung established such moldings in de Gaulle airport in Paris in 2002, in Dubai, Athens, Buenos Aires, Incheon International Airport in 2004, and in Dallas and Kuala Lumpur in 2005, bringing the total of such moldings to 15. Noting that airport is a gateway of each country so many and different people go out and come in, Lee said, 'While seeing the moldings, they will implant Samsung's handset brand and corporate image in their mind.' Samsung President Lee anticipated from several years ago that handsets will emerge as the hero of the digital convergence era and asserted that mobile phones will become the hub of all electronics equipment. Samsung plans to additionally build the hand moldings in nine international airports, including those in New York, Beijing and Moscow, bringing the total number of the moldings to 26 in the world. In an interview with a renowned economic magazine in Sweden, President Lee said that one of the secrets behind the success of Samsung handsets lies in the fact that he is infatuated with new technology of mobile phone. Asked about the reason behind the success of Samsung's handsets, Lee said, 'Although it is too early to use the word, 'success,' I can say that I am deeply infatuated with new technology of handsets. In case of being infatuated so deeply, I can know the possibility the new technology will bring about in the future.' He also said, 'I decide the market debut of handsets after placing them in my hands and feel their feelings. It is very important that what feelings a product gives. It is sufficient for me to get the feelings by just touching and holding it. Namely, my hands made a decision for the market debut of handsets.' On the question that Samsung Electronics' target is to become No. 1 in the world market, he said, 'I do not hope Samsung will become No. 1 in terms of market share or sales volume. My clear target is to make Samsung the strongest, most outstanding and respective enterprise in the world.' President Lee stressed, 'Samsung Electronics will remain as a premium brand through qualitative competition by reforming user interface (UI) and upgrading design in such a way as to help consumers use more easily.' Commenting that Samsung will not spend its energy to overtake Nokia or Motorola in a certain period, he said, 'To secure the No. 1 position, we need massive amounts of R&D and marketing expenses and should make a downward adjustment of product price and profits. Accordingly, we do not want to pursue such a way.' Meanwhile, the Swedish magazine said, 'Samsung Electronics is now in stiff competition with Motorola to secure the No. 2 position in the world's handset market. And some analysts say it is a matter of time for Samsung to outpace Motorola, appraising the status of Samsung highly.' It also commented that the average sales price of Samsung mobile phones is the highest in the world. Meanwhile, market analysts said that President Lee has made a turning point for Samsung to create the second CDMA myth with the successful demonstration of the commercializationlevel WiBro at the APEC. Related to this, Lee said, 'In the past, some people were skeptical about WiBro. However, I had confidence in the possibility of success and poured all of my passion for WiBro. He was always in the forefront of the project to develop and demonstrate WiBro along with developers. 'In the global communication market in the past, Samsung with bare hands had to fight with foreign rivals armed with knives and guns. With the development of WiBro, however, we are now equipped with a wooden sword. Although it is a somewhat underestimated metaphorical expression, the important thing is that we now have a competitive technology we can boast in the royalty competition.' He said that WiBro is a new 'blue ocean,' creating the superspeed wireless data market and the gateway to the fourth Internet revolution. 'I feel great pride in the fact that Samsung has opened the door for a global Internet revolution in the broadcasting and communication sector,' he added.