KT gives out iPads to all employees

KT gives out iPads to all employees

KT Chairman Lee Suk-chae By Kim Yoo-chul KT, Apple's exclusive partner in Korea to sell iPhones and iPads, is set to foster its "smart working" drive with its decision to distribute 3G-based iPads to all employees. "KT has begun offering Apple's 3G-based tablet PCs to our 32,000 employees to get them Wi-Fi connectivity since late last week," said Kim Yoon-jeong, a company spokeswoman. Kim added that with the measure, the nation's second-biggest mobile carrier will be able to cut managerial costs and increase the productivity as employees could proceed internal and paper-based works via the tablets regardless of the places and circumstances. "With iPads, KT employees can perform their own tasks much faster by using our cloud computing systems. There is no need to install software programs and even solutions for working," according to KT's Kim, Sunday. The decision comes after SK Telecom is spending more to strengthen its cloud computing systems for better smart working amid the telecom industry's convergence era. Cloud computing is an Internet-based service, whereby shared servers provide software and data to computers and other devices on demand. Smart working is regarded as an approach to organizing work, which embraces the principles of freedom, collaboration and focus to create a work environment which eventually drives better efficiency and effectiveness in receiving outcome. Korea's top carriers including LG Uplus have been in active modes along this path, though industry officials were giving more credit to KT citing its edge in broadband-related capabilities. KT is the nation's top fixed-line operator. "We hope the decision will pave the way for it to realize effective penetration of smart working (systems)," said Kim, adding KT is planning to build up the latest IT systems that link into mobiles and PCs. The local carrier has earlier said it was aiming to secure 1.15 million customers of its smart working services by 2015 and added it has been in intensive talks with British Telecom (BT) of the United Kingdom for service expansion. iPhones and iPads have emerged as KT’s top revenue sources. Analysts say a further surge of smartphone users thanks to the arrival of the iPhone 4 is lifting KT’s earnings. ``As of the end of December last year, KT’s smartphone customers reached 2.7 million including 1.8 million iPhone users _ an increase of 64 percent from September. That’s inspiring,’’ Yang Jong-in, an analyst at Korea Investment, said, adding the ``smart working’’ drive makes sense.

yckim@koreatimes.co.kr