South Korea scraps WIPI, opens the mobile market to foreign competition
WIPI, also known as Wireless Internet Platform Interoperability, is the reason why handset manufacturers from outside South Korea cannot sell their products in this particular East-Asian country.
Because of that, the mobile phones available in South Korean come mainly from Samsung, LG and Pantech, the three giant local manufacturers.
However, starting April 2009, the KCCR (Korea Communications Commission) will lift the mandatory WIPI regulation, making way for basically any other handset producer.
One of the most expected devices in South Korea is Apple’s iPhone. And since WIPI will no longer be required, it looks like the iPhone is finally going to be available for its South Korean fans too.
Also, Nokia, RIM and all the other important manufacturers, will surely be interested in trying the new market. This will increase competition and it should force Samsung, LG and Pantech to lower the prices for the phones they’re selling in their home country.
Source: Telecoms Korea (subscription needed to view the article)
Enjoyed the story? Get the news and updates as we publish them. For instant updates as we press the "Publish" button, click here to follow us on Twitter . To subscribe to RSS News Feed click here , for daily e-mail updates click here .If you liked the post, you might find these interesting too:
- Pantech announces TruEmotion, its own 3D UI
- Nokia entering Korean market for the third time
- Nokia gets back to Korea. Stupidly
- Nokia 6210s launched in Korea without navigation capabilities
- iriver wave, the first mobile phone from iriver, will be launched on March 9 2009
« Verizon to start deploying next-generation LTE in 2009Neonode Inc’s Swedish subsidiary files for bankruptcy »