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Press Release
This move enables joint use of the core technology for interior antenna type cellular handsets, and RFID Tagging antennas.
SK Telecom acquires a 6.4% equity share of SkyCross, and creates a new business model by offering the technology to worldwide cellular handset manufacturers who will pay them a royalty.
SK Telecom announced, on April 15, that the company decided to invest one million US dollars in SkyCross of the U.S., in order to acquire a 6.4% equity share of SkyCross, which has a key technology for internal mobile phone antennas.
SK Telecom signed a contract with SkyCross to jointly develop the mobile phone antenna in January 2003, and then the two companies secured the intellectual property rights for the technology, by jointly applying for a patent. This has laid the groundwork for SK Telecom to optimize this business, in a joint effort with SkyCross. In particular, this investment lets SK Telecom use the key technology resources owned by SkyCross. SK Telecom has created a new business model by offering this technology to worldwide cellular handset manufacturers in exchange for a royalty paid by them.
SkyCross has the core technology for the ’Meander Line Antenna’ (MLA) that enables the production of an interior installation type antenna for existing cellular handsets, as well as a subminiature interior/exterior installation type antenna for satellite DMB terminals. The satellite DMB service is scheduled to be available commercially, by the second part of this year. This will be a world’s first for this type service. SkyCross has also developed RFID Tagging technology, as well as the core technology for an antenna for Telematics service. This will pave the way to expand the business areas jointly served by SK telecom and SkyCross. In April 2002, SkyCross was selected as one of "The Most Innovative Companies" in the U.S., by the Wireless Future Magazine.
In particular, SkyCross’s MLA technology allows SK Telecom to produce and market CDMA cellular handsets that carry the antenna inside of the handsets. Previously it was considered impossible, due to the characteristics of the CDMA frequency bandwidth of 800MHz. In the case of the terminal for satellite DMB service, the technology lets the company reduce the length of antenna up to 2~3cm, and make it more compact for the customers’ convenience. In the past, the Iridium satellite terminals used to carry external antenna with a length of more than 10cm.
Currently, SK Telecom is in specific discussions with four or five domestic and overseas terminal manufacturers in regard to commercializing the MLA technology for cellular handsets and satellite DMB terminals. The first CDMA cellular handset that carries its antenna inside of a handset based on the SkyCross technology, is expected to be launched by May 2004.
SK Telecom signed a contract with SkyCross to jointly develop the mobile phone antenna in January 2003, and then the two companies secured the intellectual property rights for the technology, by jointly applying for a patent. This has laid the groundwork for SK Telecom to optimize this business, in a joint effort with SkyCross. In particular, this investment lets SK Telecom use the key technology resources owned by SkyCross. SK Telecom has created a new business model by offering this technology to worldwide cellular handset manufacturers in exchange for a royalty paid by them.
SkyCross has the core technology for the ’Meander Line Antenna’ (MLA) that enables the production of an interior installation type antenna for existing cellular handsets, as well as a subminiature interior/exterior installation type antenna for satellite DMB terminals. The satellite DMB service is scheduled to be available commercially, by the second part of this year. This will be a world’s first for this type service. SkyCross has also developed RFID Tagging technology, as well as the core technology for an antenna for Telematics service. This will pave the way to expand the business areas jointly served by SK telecom and SkyCross. In April 2002, SkyCross was selected as one of "The Most Innovative Companies" in the U.S., by the Wireless Future Magazine.
In particular, SkyCross’s MLA technology allows SK Telecom to produce and market CDMA cellular handsets that carry the antenna inside of the handsets. Previously it was considered impossible, due to the characteristics of the CDMA frequency bandwidth of 800MHz. In the case of the terminal for satellite DMB service, the technology lets the company reduce the length of antenna up to 2~3cm, and make it more compact for the customers’ convenience. In the past, the Iridium satellite terminals used to carry external antenna with a length of more than 10cm.
Currently, SK Telecom is in specific discussions with four or five domestic and overseas terminal manufacturers in regard to commercializing the MLA technology for cellular handsets and satellite DMB terminals. The first CDMA cellular handset that carries its antenna inside of a handset based on the SkyCross technology, is expected to be launched by May 2004.