Kt to Begin 10 Gbps Internet Service

By Jun Ji-hye

KT will start offering an internet service with a maximum speed of 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) Thursday, the first among domestic telecom companies, the firm said Wednesday.

The new service, which is 10 times faster than the 'Giga internet' with a maximum speed of 1 Gbps, will be offered in major cities nationwide including Seoul, Daegu and Busan, the company said during a media conference held in the capital.

The coverage will expand gradually nationwide, it added.

The new service is expected to be well received by users who enjoy watching videos as it allows users to download a 33-gigabyte UHD movie in just 30 seconds, compared to 45 minutes when using an internet service with a maximum speed of 100 megabits per second, and 4 minutes and 30 seconds on the Giga internet.

The mobile carrier commercialized the Giga internet in October 2014 for the first time in Korea About 48 million people, accounting for 55 percent of the firm's total subscribers, are currently using the Giga internet.

'We have made preparations as there has been demand from users for better services,' said Lee Pill-jai, senior executive vice president who heads the marketing group for KT.

'We are launching the 10 Gbps internet service for customers who want to enjoy more realistic videos, faster speed and more exciting content.'

The company...