[MWC26]KT to Usher in the 6G Era with AI: "Prioritizing Customer Experience Through Intelligent Networks"

AI-Driven Autonomous Network Design and Operation
Ultra-Low Latency Performance for AI Services
"Delivering Experiences Customers Can Truly Feel"

KT has unveiled its blueprint for sixth-generation (6G) mobile networks, the next generation of wireless communication. The company aims to build a hyperconnected, ultra-reliable, intelligent network based on artificial intelligence (AI), with the goal of delivering 6G services that customers can tangibly experience.

On March 2 (local time), KT held a press conference at the Le Meridien Barcelona Hotel in Barcelona, Spain, where the Mobile World Congress (MWC) is taking place, to announce its 6G vision for the AI era and outline its key technology directions.

Jongsik Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of KT Network Research Institute, is making a presentation at a press conference held on the 2nd (local time) at Le Meridien Barcelona Hotel in Barcelona, Spain. Provided by KT

Jongsik Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of KT Network Research Center, who presented at the event, stated, "KT's 6G will focus on driving substantial changes for customers," adding, "The 6G that KT envisions is an intelligent infrastructure that combines network and AI."

In the global mobile communications market, 6G is currently at the stage of research and development (R&D) for standardization. The industry expects the standard for 6G to be established around August 2029. However, even after the standard is set, it will take time before commercial deployment becomes a reality.

KT has defined 6G as an "integrated infrastructure of organic interconnection" that enables AI to operate reliably. The core elements of KT 6G are "AI for the network" and "network for AI." This means not only managing the network intelligently with AI but also ensuring the ultra-low latency and ultra-high reliability required by AI services at the network level.

KT has identified hyperconnectivity, ultra-low latency, quantum-safe security, AI-native architecture, autonomous network, and semantic-oriented transmission as the main technologies for 6G, and is working to realize these. First, to achieve hyperconnectivity, KT is pursuing the construction of three-dimensional coverage that encompasses land, sea, and air. For ultra-low latency, which is a core factor for seamless services, the company is designing a structure in which devices, wireless networks, and backbone networks linking to AI data centers all feature ultra-low latency.

Furthermore, KT will apply its proprietary quantum-safe technology to the 6G network to enhance security. The company is designing 6G as an AI-native network and fundamentally transforming network operations into an autonomous network model. As a new communication method for the 6G era, KT has proposed semantic-oriented transmission, which means selectively transmitting only key information relevant to the purpose, instead of sending all data.

KT also emphasized that it is well-positioned for the introduction of 6G. It is the only mobile carrier in South Korea to have partially commercialized 5G standalone (SA) mode, which is considered a prerequisite for key 6G technologies such as network slicing, ultra-low latency service, and AI-based network control. KT's experience with satellite services through KT SAT is also a strength, as it enables the company to combine terrestrial mobile networks with satellite infrastructure, giving it an advantage in building three-dimensional 6G coverage.

KT plans to secure 6G capabilities by integrating AI, satellite, and security technologies, and will continue to release its core technologies. Jongsik Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of KT Network Research Center, commented, "While the commercialization of 5G focused on rapid competition for the Pyeongchang pilot service and being the first in the world, our approach to 6G will be centered on delivering customer experiences that are truly tangible and creating new market opportunities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.