South Korea’s telecommunications giant KT Corp. has launched a new media that will allow subscribers to watch satellite television programs in their cars without disconnection even in a tunnel or bad weather.

KT and KT Skylife, a satellite broadcasting provider, on Wednesday unveiled the Skylife long term evolution (LTE) TV (SLT) service, a hybrid media service that receives TV signals using both LTE networks and a satellite communications system.

SLT, using B.U.S. technology co-developed by KT and KT Skylife that receives real-time broadcasting signal by switching between satellite feeding and LTE network, guarantees seamless TV broadcasting and viewing even in a tunnel and heavy rain, the company said.

Since 2002, KT Skylife has been utilizing the Mugunghwa-6 satellite to provide satellite TV service on the road. But despite the fact the company can broadcast satellite TV programs at any location in the country through a satellite antenna and a setup box, the number of subscribers to the service has remained low due to bad signal reception. The number of subscribers to KT Skylife’s satellite TV service has been hovering around 40,000 for years.

Kang Kook-hyun, head of marketing at KT, said that with the new hybrid media, the company aims to add 100,000 new subscribers this year and 300,000 subscribers by the end of next year. It will mainly target owners of leisure-use vehicles, camping cars, freight cars, and premium express buses.

By Lim Sung-hyun

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