Korea Telecom seems to understand the profound change that is underway with the arrival of more powerful "smart" phones and is concentrating its efforts to enhance mobile broadband services. As reported in today's Joongang Daily, the company will put its focus on "mobile broadband" in the coming months. As the graphic here illustrates (click to see full-size graphic), KT is trying to usher in an era where people can easily access wireless broadband internet services from all kinds of devices. KT will introduce a "tethering" service that allows Korean smartphone users to connect their handsets to other devices like laptops, e-book readers, connecting them to the internet like a modem. Such a system would free smartphone users from the need to find a WiFi hotspot to connect their computers to the web.
These developments are all part of the continuing convergence toward a ubiquitous networked society. In that future society, mobile handsets will play a key role as a convergence point. That seems natural, since they are small, lightweight and always with a person. Another important feature of mobile broadband in the future is that all devices, including the handset, notebook, desktop and television, will be synchronized or access the same data from the cloud. I for one am looking forward to this.