POSDATA, an IT service provider established by Korea’s largest steelmaker POSCO, has announced the commercial launch of its IPTV service after a trial since the end of last year in Los Angeles where there is a high Korean and Asian immigrant population density. At the initial stage of the IPTV service in Los Angeles, the service offerings will be aimed at penetrating Korean and Asian American market that comprises a large proportion of those who has a quiet understanding of Korean culture by providing video-on-demand(VOD) of Korean dramas, movies, entertainment shows, etc. To ensure relable supply of contents POSDATA has cooperated with Korean broadcasting such as MBC, SBS, and KBS and worked with local partners in the United States who have a strong marketing network in the Korean and Asian community. Also, POSDATA has established a joint venture with Celrun, a diversified IP set top box manufacturer, and Acanettv, a digital TV platform provider, in order to facilitate its IPTV operation.

After a successful launch the service offerings will be extended by adding TV shopping malls, online education programs, Karaoke, etc. In addition, POSDATA has planned to combine its IPTV service with Mobile WiMax in which POSDATA has its own core technology. It is believed by POSDATA that Mobile IPTV will bring an edge to its IPTV business in the U.S. market.

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The Korea Communications Commission has recently announced that it plans to invest 34 trillion won(roughly 24.6 billion dollars) including investment of about 32.8 trillion won from private sectors in the country’s IT infrastructure. The proposed plan by the KCC aims to meet the expected demand from the future broadcasting and communications services by building the ultra broadband convergence network(UBcN) and replacing the circuit-switched telephone network with an IP telephony network, which will bring the following changes.

The government expects the IT infrastructure investment will create more jobs and boost the country’s economy. Also, it is assumed that a virtuous cycle can be created with investment from private sectors.

According to the KCC, the plan tends to suggest a new vision for the future of IT Korea. It is promised that the government will not take any action to force private sector operators to invest, but it believes that the operators will play big roles in accomplishing the plan being drawn by reflecting their opinions.