Gov`t to invest 34 trln won to build super Internet highway

SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The government said Sunday it will invest 34 trillion
won (US$24.6 billion) over the next few years to build a nationwide super
broadband infrastructure to allow for faster and higher-capacity data
transmission through the Internet.
The Korea Communications Commission said it has recently finalized the investment
plan, which will be carried out in cooperation with the private sector.
Commission officials said the plan will enable users to transmit data at an
average speed of 1 Gbps through a fixed line and that the speed could maintain at
the rate of 10 Mbps even through a wireless line. This is more than 10 times
faster than the existing optical local area networks.
The new network, due to be completed by 2012, is expected to generate 17.7
trillion won worth of added value and 48.5 trillion won worth of induced
generation, commission officials said, adding that around 120,000 new jobs will
be created.
South Korea is one of the world's most-wired countries with most of its people
having access to high-speed Internet. Its solid Internet infrastructure is
helping break down barriers among technologies, ushering in such next-generation
services as Internet-based TV and Internet-protocol telephony services.
The new broadband network will also help accelerate the technology convergence by
allowing for faster speed and higher capacity for data transmission required to
guarantee seamless operation on such platforms, experts say.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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