South Korea’s KT Corp plans to spend 5.1 trillion won (4.3 billion dollars) over five years upgrading its network to meet demand from smartphones and other digital devices.

South Korea’s KT Corp plans to spend 5.1 trillion won (4.3 billion dollars) over five years upgrading its network to meet demand from smartphones and other digital devices.

KT is Korea’s largest fixed-line operator and second-largest mobile carrier. The company plans to spend 4.07 trillion won on its mobile-phone network from 2010 to 2014 and about 800 billion won on Wi-Fi and wireless broadband. 

“To prepare for an explosive surge in data traffic, we are working to introduce Long Term Evolution (LTE) services,” said Pyo Hyun-myung, the president of KT’s mobile business division, reports joongangdaily. 

“But LTE alone cannot accommodate the traffic, so we will also greatly expand our Wi-Fi and WiBro networks,” he added.

Investment for the LTE network can begin in July next year. Pyo had told Reuters in May earlier this year. KT plans to work with telecommunications gear makers including Samsung and LG-Ericsson for a high-speed LTE network next year.

The company will raise the number of Wi-Fi Internet hotspots from the current 28,000 to 100,000 by the end of next year and expand its WiBro ((Wireless Broadband)) network from 19 cities to a nationwide system by next March.