National Communications Network
The detailed plan for the national disaster safety communications network project worth over 2 trillion won (US$1.8 billion) was made public. However, there is increasing criticism that there is no substance to it, since the plan does not address how to select a company or a terminal implementation.
The Ministry of Public Safety and Security (MPSS) revealed the details of the government's plan for the disaster safety communications network project during a public hearing in Seoul on Feb. 24. Based on the Information Strategic Planning (ISP) initiated by LG CNS, the project will last three years starting from a pilot project in March 2015. The project will be expanded nationwide in 2016 and completed by 2017. The disaster safety communications network will be built using Public Safety-LTE (PS-LTE), and the government will install, operate, and manage the network.
A total of 1 trillion won (US$912 million) will be injected to construct the network, and 330 institutions in 8 areas, including police officers, firefighters, and military personnel will use 200,000 terminals for disaster safety communications. Around 47 billion won (US$42.8 million) will be invested in the pilot project, and more than 700 billion won (US$639 million) will be injected to operate the network over the next 10 years.
It was decided that the existing network will be utilized in “front hall” and “back hall” sections. In other words, the government will use base stations that were built by three local mobile carriers. It was also decided to divide the national coverage areas into central, eastern, and western regions and to make the network stable enough for the entire disaster safety communications network service to be provided without interruption in the event of a large-scale natural disaster.
However, the MPSS did not disclose details about whether one or several companies will be in charge of the three different sections.
As for the introduction of terminals, the government agency said that it will present minimum technical standards capable of delivering PS-LTE and select terminals through competition. It will purchase terminals on a lump sum basis while the project lasts, but each institution will be required to buy terminals properly for the business after the project finishes.