SK Telecom (NYSE:SKM) today announced that it has successfully developed a 5G repeater and applied it to its 5G trial network deployed near Gangnam Station in Seoul, Korea.

The 5G repeater is designed to improve signals in blanket/shadow areas by amplifying 5G radio signals. With the deployment of the 5G repeater, 5G networks will be able to provide a dense coverage by eliminating shadow areas.

The 5G repeater (built with SK Telecom’s independently developed 5G relay technology) is expected to resolve the issue of 5G coverage limitations caused by the propagation characteristics of radio signals at super-high/above-6GHz frequency bands.

Moreover, the Gangnam area in Seoul is one of the most difficult places to plan/build a network due to the presence of a large number of radio wave obstacles and high-density data traffic. SK Telecom’s successful deployment of the 5G repeater carries a significant meaning as it will now be able to build 5G networks in other traffic-concentrated downtown areas with greater ease. 

“SK Telecom is moving closer to launching a commercial 5G network by applying key 5G technologies to our 5G trial network in Gangnam, an area with the highest data traffic,” said Park Jin-hyo, Senior Vice President and Head of Network Technology R&D Center of SK Telecom.