IT&E, SK Telecom to bring 5G network to Marianas

IT&E and SK Telecom will be working together to bring the 5G network, to the CNMI and Guam.

The heads of both companies met at IT&E’s Harmon headquarters the week of March 4 to finalize technology solutions to support the 5G network in the Marianas—a first.

5G stands for fifth generation. According to techradar.com, it is the next generation of mobile internet connectivity and offers faster speeds and more reliable connections on smartphones and other devices, with average download speeds of around 1GBps.

Jose Ricardo “Ricky” Delgado, president and CEO of Citadel Holdings, the parent company of IT&E, said that, with SK Telecom “contributing its engineering expertise as a global leader in the roll-out of 5G technology, IT&E’s 5G network will set the standard for communications in Guam and the Marianas for many years to come,” 

In September 2018, IT&E announced its strategic partnership with SK Telecom. The alliance allows IT&E to draw from SK Telecom’s wealth of knowledge gained from its 5G network deployments.  The partnership provides successful use-cases from SK Telecom that IT&E can deploy to fit the unique needs and demands of our island, as well as ensure network survivability.

“5G is transformational technology, and when supported by SK Telecom’s engineering team and our typhoon-proven network, our subscribers will enjoy a smooth transition to the next generation of mobile connectivity. With 5G, subscribers will be able to do everything faster—stream, download content, video call, and more,” said Jim Oehlerking, IT&E’s chief executive officer.

Through the partnership, IT&E and SK Telecom will deploy fixed wireless access 5G by the second half of 2019 and 5G networks will be applied with mobile edge computing.

FWA 5G will expand the coverage of the network to areas that may have previously not had the infrastructure to support seamless network connections; and mobile edge computing paves the way for future technology and services, like Internet of Things, etc.

SK Telecom will also apply its quantum cryptography technology, which was utilized in Deutsche Telekom’s trial network in July 2018, enabling IT&E to provide its subscribers with the safest 5G service.

“SK Telecom will work closely with IT&E to deploy safe and stable 5G networks in Guam and the Marianas. Going forward, SK Telecom will continue to cooperate with diverse players throughout the globe to accelerate 5G-powered innovations,” said Park Jung-Ho, CEO and president of SK Telecom.

About

SK Telecom is the largest mobile operator in Korea with nearly 50 percent of the market share. The company launched the 5G network on Dec. 1, 2018.

IT&E serves more than 90,000 subscribers in Guam and the Marianas and has been in business for over 35 years. (PR)