S. Korea drops software requirement on handsets

SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's telecom regulator decided Wednesday to
lift a requirement for locally-sold handsets to be embedded with a unique
software, paving the way for Apple Inc.'s iPhone and other foreign phones to be
sold here.
The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) said it decided to scrap the so-called
wireless Internet platform for interoperability, or WIPI, installation
requirement on handsets sold domestically starting April 2009.
WIPI, which has been required for all handsets sold in South Korea since April
2005, has been a major obstacle for foreign brands such as Apple trying to sell
phones here, as additional software installation costs for handsets in Korea
alone would have cut profitability for companies.
The software, a closed platform, was created to enhance the compatibility mobile
phone Internet access, but its effectiveness has been in question since the
introduction of third-generation mobile connectivity that allows more open and
faster access to the Web.
"We decided to get rid of the requirement in line with the technological
advancements in the global telcom market and allow a wider choice of models for
consumers," KCC said in a statement.
Market watchers expect the move to open doors for Apple and other smartphone
developers such as Research In Motion Ltd., and ultimately benefit mobile
carriers as well.
"The decision to drop the requirement will likely increase sales for SK Telecom
Co. and KTF Co. as competitive third-generation WCDMA phones such as the iPhone
will reach the domestic market," Chung Seung-gyo, an analyst at Woori Investment
& Securities said in a report.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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