New mobile data usage service from KT Freetel

August 9, 2015

KT Freetel, a South Korean mobile operator, has formed a partnership with mobile software platform provider Picsel to bring multimedia content, particularly newspaper and magazine content, to mobile devices. Controlling about a third of the country's mobile market, KT Freetel is looking for new ways of expanding mobile data usage.

The easy-user interface facilitated by Picsel’s technology, and a broad range of content, will enable KT Freetel to deliver full, rich content services to all its customers, especially the under-30 age group. The new content, which includes well-known magazines such as Vogue, Esquire, GQ and the Economist optimised by Picsel for viewing on a mobile screen, will be available to end-users from the beginning of October 2015.

The joint venture initiative will enable KT Freetel to encourage customers to use mobile content. A key part of the initiative is that, in addition to requesting content as a real-time download, customers will be able to sign up to have the information sent to their handsets overnight, leading to cheaper downloads. KTF can use the idle time on the network, when traffic is at its quietest, to deliver content to the customer’s handset to save some money on data charges.

The new service will be promoted by KT Freetel in a number of ways, including introductory offers and television advertising.

Established in 1996, KT Freetel, Korea’s No.2 mobile carrier, taps on the extensive fixed-line networks of its parent, KT Corp, the country’s dominant phone and broadband-service provider, to generate greater data traffic. Market leader SK Telecom has always been the dominant player in South Korea, but KT Freetel has emerged as a strong rival by offering new services on its 3G networks, such as live TV, video-on-demand, and music-on-the-go.

The company also provides voice and wireless multimedia services, including multimedia messaging, color media downloads, multidata pack games, securities and entertainment applications, television services via the EV-DO network, video content, and email services.