Seoul's KT Corporation and SK Telecom are now both operating WiBro networks, a Korean version of the 802.16e mobile subsection of the WiMax standard. Korea's capital city was already wired via public hotspots, but mobile WiMax is offering more by providing wireless data speeds of several mbps plus a range that exceeds 1km. WiBro's only real competition is high speed downlink packet access (HSPDA), an enhanced version of the WCDMA mobile phone technology already in place throughout Korea. Speeds for the two methods are similar, but HSPDA is expected to cost a bit more than WiBro. Korean WiBro is accessed via a PC card ($170 to $300), and access for PDAs and smartphones will arrive in the next few months.
Via [vnunet.com]