SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) announced today that the company will jointly explore the development of the ATSC 3.0 (the “Next-generation TV” standard) platform with Sinclair Broadcast Group (“Sinclair”, Nasdaq: SBGI), the largest television broadcaster in the U.S and its subsidiary, ONE Media 3.0 (“ONE Media”). The partnership is expected to bring innovation to the US broadcasting industry.

SK Telecom signed an MoU with Sinclair and ONE Media at “CES 2018” in Las Vegas to lead the next-generation broadcast industry.

By the first half of this year, the three companies will build ATSC 3.0 broadcast platform, which was named “Next Generation TV” standard in the U.S. The NG TV platform provides the followings: 1) UHD quality of content, 2) customized IP-based service for interactivity, 3) personalized & location-based advertisement, 4) fixed and mobile broadcast, 5) emergency alert service. The NG TV platform will utilize the technological advantage of mobile devices. Starting with the U.S. TV industry, the company will gradually expand its platform to India, the country that pursues the ATSC 3.0-based next-generation broadcasting.

The platform will also help expand global ecosystem for the next-generation broadcasting by utilizing SK Telecom’s top-notch mobile IPTV and media technologies. The company has both the “MMT (MPEG Media Transport)” technology, which is an ultra-low latency transmission technology for high-definition video and the application mobile MMT technology tailored to mobile environment. The company has subscriber-based contents recommendation service and IP-based media service such as optimized network service that utilizes AI technology.

“Working with Sinclair, SK Telecom’s media technology is now aiming to bring innovation to the global broadcast industry and create new growth engine,” Park Jung-ho, CEO and President of SK Telecom said. “The company will share its core infrastructure with global companies to come up with convergent business models that will create new business platforms.”