S. Korea expands high-speed wireless coverage

The nation's second-largest mobile operator said it has spread its fourth-generation (4G) WiBro network to 82 cities and major highways from five major cities previously.

The change allows its mobile users to download wireless data and access the Internet nearly three times faster than the previously-available 3G network, the company said in a statement.

"Now customers can use high-speed wireless Internet service at a far better speed... without interruption even when they are travelling on the road," it said.

KT said the latest network covers about 85 percent of the nation's almost 50 million people, higher than 36 percent in the United States and 70 percent in Japan.

The former state-run company has been trying to compete against wireless industry leader SK Telecom by expanding its presence in the rapidly-growing smartphone market.

KT has been a sole distributor of Apple's iPhone in South Korea since the popular smartphone's market debut in the country in November 2009, selling more than two million units.

South Korea had about 7.2 million smartphone users as of December.

But SK Telecom said last week it had also forged a deal with Apple to sell the iPhone 4 soon in South Korea.

(c) 2011 AFP