SK Telecom, South Korea's largest mobile carrier, has teamed up with Samsung Electronics to build an Internet of Things (IoT) trial town in Daegu, the nation’s fourth largest city to be designated as an ICT regulation-free zone.
The two tech giants plan to build cutting-edge IoT infrastructures across Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Since Daegu is to be designated as an ICT regulation-free zone, venture firms will be encouraged and supported to develop new technologies without facing regulatory hurdles and venture into the global market.
SK Telecom plans to build an IoT-only network first in a test bed and then expand the network citywide by May.
Then, the mobile carrier will build an open lab where venture firms and startups can develop and test their new services. In addition, it plans to offer easier access to IoT platform ‘ThingPlug.’ SK Telecom is also considering building an IoT complex later on. SK Telecom will invest 90 billion won in the project by the end of this year to expand an IoT ecosystem in Daegu.
Samsung will supply devices and equipment needed for building IoT-only networks and also support technology development by disclosing its IoT-related IP rights. The Daegu Center for Creative Economy and Innovation (CCEI) will assist startups in commercializing their technologies while the Daegu metropolitan government is set to provide administrative and financial support.
