"Leading the 5.5 Trillion 5G Dedicated Network Market" SKT Partners with Domestic 5G Equipment Companies

Entels and HFR Sign MOU
Global 5G Private Network Market Expected to Reach 5 Trillion KRW
From 5G Network Provision to 5G MEC in One Go
Providing Customized 'All-in-One Edge' Solution for Field Use

SK Telecom announced on the 22nd that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with domestic 5G communication equipment companies HFR and Entels. Ha Hyung-il, Head of SK Telecom Corporate 2 Center, Jung Jong-min, CEO of HFR, Choi Young-rae, CEO of Entels, and Kim Yoon, CTO of SK Telecom, are taking a photo after signing the business cooperation MOU to promote the global 5G MEC business. Photo by SK Telecom

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] To seize the burgeoning global 5G MEC (Mobile Edge Computing) market driven by the worldwide demand for 5G private networks, SK Telecom has joined hands with domestic 5G communication equipment companies. They will provide a customized on-site 'All-in-One Edge' solution that not only offers 5G private networks on a one-time basis but also delivers 5G MEC services simultaneously.

Provision of Integrated 5G Private Network and 5G MEC Solutions

SK Telecom announced on the 22nd that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with domestic 5G communication equipment companies HFR and Entels regarding this collaboration.

5G MEC is a technology that places small-scale data centers separately at base stations closest to service users to provide ultra-low latency communication. It is gaining attention alongside the commercialization of 5G private networks by major countries worldwide. Market research firm Omdia has predicted that the global 5G private network market will reach approximately $4.6 billion (about 5.4 trillion KRW) by 2025.

Through this cooperation, SK Telecom will develop new 5G MEC products and oversee the business. HFR will build global network interworking functions and operate overseas sales channels, while Entels will be responsible for 5G MEC platform development, service maintenance, and customer support.

SK Telecom, HFR, and Entels plan to expand their business-to-business (B2B) operations by providing customized 5G MEC solutions to overseas companies and public institutions that operate or plan to introduce 5G private networks. For example, if a manufacturing company that has been allocated 5G private network frequencies to build a smart factory faces difficulties in establishing communication infrastructure, SK Telecom, HFR, and Entels will design and build customized 5G MEC equipment and software and provide maintenance services.

Through the All-in-One Edge solution that combines remote network interworking and edge computing functions, the plan is not just to supply technology on a one-time basis but to support companies without experience in building and operating communication networks to more easily adopt 5G private networks and 5G MEC services simultaneously.

Utilizing Each Company's Overseas Customer Network

SK Telecom is expanding cooperation with overseas big tech companies based on its proactively developed 5G MEC platform. Domestically, it is building hybrid MEC cloud platforms with cloud companies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft. Additionally, it operates the 'Telecom Edge Cloud TF' with nine global telecom operators including Deutsche Telekom, Singtel, and NTT Docomo, and leads a 5G MEC technology cooperation project within the Bridge Alliance, the largest telecom operator consortium in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

HFR provides 5G private network communication equipment to customers worldwide. It also supplies 5G communication equipment to Verizon, AT&T, and NTT Docomo through its overseas branches in the United States and Japan. Entels supplies 5G solutions to telecom operators in various countries such as AT&T, Celcom, and M1, and recently developed 5G solutions related to smart factories and smart buildings, providing them to domestic and international customers.

Ha Hyung-il, head of SK Telecom's Corporate 2 Center, said, "5G MEC, which we proactively developed before the commercialization of 5G, is gaining attention as an essential technology for 5G private networks," adding, "We will seize the global 5G MEC market by partnering with leading domestic 5G communication equipment companies." Kim Yoon, CTO of SK Telecom, emphasized, "New ICT industries such as smart factories and robotics are expected to grow rapidly based on 5G MEC," and stated, "We plan to provide 5G MEC solutions with industry-specific services applied to various companies and public institutions worldwide."

Jung Jong-min, CEO of HFR, said, "5G connectivity and MEC computing technology will reinvent enterprise business," and added, "We will propose new businesses centered on major advanced countries and establish demonstration labs." Choi Young-rae, CEO of Entels, mentioned, "5G MEC is emerging as a core technology in the digital transformation strategies of global companies," and stated, "We will jointly develop 5G MEC products with SK Telecom and HFR to expand competitiveness in the global market."