South Korea’s top mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. and its Japanese counterpart NTT Docomo Inc. have teamed up for next-generation wireless network development and application in new businesses ranging from metaverse to media contents.

SK Telecom said Monday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan’s mobile operator commanding 84.75 million subscribers as of end of last year on business cooperation in information and communications technology (ICT). Under the MoU, the two operators will work closely in three areas - metaverse, mobile infrastructure, and media.

In metaverse, SK Telecom and NTT Docomo are considering producing joint contents for metaverse platform supply. For example, the two companies could create K-pop or J-pop contents and apply them to each of their services.

SK Telecom and NTT Docomo plan to discuss the option of jointly investing in a technology company like an eXtended Reality (XR) device manufacturing company and securing intellectual property (IP) on popular games and animations in Korea and Japan.



The two companies are also considering linking their platforms long-term. SK Telecom in July last year released a metaverse platform “ifland” for large-scale gatherings and has secured more than 12.8 million cumulated users. NTT Docomo also introduced a web browser-based metaverse platform “XR World” in March that provides users with live videos and music contents.

Linking the two companies’ metaverse platforms will allow digital human concert of a K-pop singer streamed in ifland to be also accessible for Japanese users via NTT Docomo service. Ifland users will also be able to visit major Japanese cities created on NTT Docomo platform.

SK Telecom and NTT Docomo have also agreed to partner in next-generation mobile network including sixth-generation (6G). They plan to set up technology standard and study major technology of 6G and 5G Evolution. They will not only search for application examples of 6G but also work to have customer and businesses’ requirements be reflected in industry and global standardization agencies.

The two companies, in particular, will cooperate to secure technology related to Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) and Virtual RAN (V-RAN). O-RAN is a technology that supports mutual connection between equipment made by different manufacturers and V-RAN a technology that realizes base station features in general server-use hardware. Both technologies are essential in realizing 6G technology.

SK Telecom and SK hynix Inc. also plan to participate in IOWN Global Forum, a global next-generation mobile standard consultative group led by NTT Group. The forum is joined by 100 big tech firms including Intel and Sony and research agencies.

SK Telecom and NCC Docomo will also seek ways to have SK square’s over the top (OTT) service “Wavve” advance into Japan. NTT Docomo also provides a flat rate video service dTV in Japan. The two companies are discussing plans to jointly produce various original contents like dramas and entertainment shows and exclusively providing them in Korea and Japan through their own platforms.

By Woo Soo-min and Lee Eun-joo

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