KT Builds Cloud-Based 4.7GHz Band 5G Private Network Testbed

One-Stop Equipment Testing, Terminal Integration, Network Pilot Operation and Inspection
Subscription-Based 5G Private Network Sharing and AI Management Bot Technology Development Initiated

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] KT is creating an ecosystem encompassing everything from devices to network equipment and digital transformation (DX) solutions.

On the 12th, KT announced that it will establish a cloud-based 4.7 GHz band 5th generation (5G) specialized network testbed. Although the 5G specialized network frequency in the 4.7 GHz band began to be allocated from the end of last year, the ecosystem for devices and network equipment supporting this frequency band has not been established, creating a high entry barrier for companies adopting 5G specialized networks.

Once KT’s 5G specialized network testbed is established, it will enable one-stop testing of 5G specialized network equipment, device interoperability, pilot network operation, and inspection. This is expected to significantly reduce the cost and technical burdens for companies considering the adoption of 5G specialized networks. It will also allow pre-verification of the development and proper operation of dedicated digital transformation (DX) solutions based on the 5G specialized network, which is anticipated to promote the activation of related software industries.

In particular, KT plans to develop shared technology through the 5G specialized network testbed that allows multiple customers to subscribe to core equipment of the 5G specialized network installed on public clouds. Using this technology, customers can use 5G specialized network services by connecting wireless equipment to KT’s cloud-based 5G specialized network core equipment without having to build the entire 5G specialized network themselves. Compared to building a 5G specialized network independently, the initial investment cost is lower, and DX solutions necessary for operations such as artificial intelligence (AI) security and smart factories can be easily expanded in the form of software as a service (SaaS).

Additionally, KT is developing intelligent and automated network operation management technologies, such as AI bots that automatically inspect and address faults in the 5G specialized network. Through this, companies adopting 5G specialized networks can greatly reduce the operational management workload of the 5G specialized network.

KT has won the 5G specialized network expansion public contest projects from the National Information Society Agency (NIA) and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA), and is building 5G specialized network infrastructures at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, the Naval Headquarters, Korea Aerospace Industries, and Samsung Seoul Hospital. KT plans to begin pre-verification and improvement of devices and DX solutions to be introduced for each project as soon as the 5G specialized network testbed construction is completed.