Korea's SK Telecom to allow Skype over 3G
updated 10:50 am EDT, Wed July 14, 2010
SK Telecom in South Korea to allow Skype calls
SK Telecom, South Korea's largest cellphone provider, on Wednesday said that it would let its customers make Internet-based calls on its cellular network. This includes services such as Skype when they are connected to SK's 3G network. SK currently limits such calls to Wi-Fi connections.
SK and other carriers have limited such calls over 3G as they feel it will limit the use of its own voice networks, since Skype and others like it are free or very cheap.
At the same time, SK Telecom vowed to build 15,000 Wi-Fi zones in the country, expanding its initial plans by about 50 percent. A next-generation LTE network will also be unveiled sometime in 2011, SK also said. The 4G access will ultimately push the carrier's calls on to VoIP and could unify cell standards in the country, making it possible for the iPhone and other devices to run on all Korean networks without needing separate hardware.
