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KT Corporation

KT Corporation – Story Of The Largest Telecommunication Company Of South Korea.

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KT Corporation, being the first telecommunication company in South Korea has become a dominant entity in the country. The company grabbed the market when it had no competition and till now it is thriving with more than 23,000 employees. Joong-Soo Nam founded the company in 1981 in Seoul, South Korea. The largest shareholder of the company is the South Korean government’s National Pension Service which owns a 12.19 percent share of the company. Hyeon-Mo Koo is the current CEO of the KT Corporation.

About the Company

KT Corporation is the first and largest company in the telecommunication sector of South Korea, has multiple subsidiaries. The company also has a wide range of products which includes internet services, mobile telephony, credit card, digital television, etc. Though KT Corp offers several products, it mainly dominates the local landline and broadband internet market in South Korea. The company provides fixed-line services to around 90 percent of the total users of the country and 45 percent of the total internet users. In 1994, the company sold its wireless affiliate Korea Mobile Telecom but was again back in the wireless market in 1997 with the creation of personal communication service (PCS).

KT Corporation
Image source: www.koreatechtoday.com

History of the Company

Back in 1981, KT Corporation was founded as a public utility and it has made an immense contribution towards making the country a major IT hub. The foundation of the company changed the entire telecommunication scenario for South Korea. KT Corporation started growing so rapidly that after three years it became the tenth company in the world to develop an electric switch TDX-1. In 1987, the company successfully installed an automated nationwide long-distance network. The same year, the company also started a public video conferencing service, established a software and line technology research center, opened a new business division, and embarked on a joint partnership with AT&T.

In the upcoming years, the company rolled out a bunch of new services like telecommuting pilot service and international call coupon service. By 1993, the company installed nearly 20 million telephone lines which were big proof that South Korea was having a change of scenery and becoming a part of the IT society. The company launched two satellites in two consecutive years and also completed the construction of the 4th Boeun satellite earth station. From 1997, the company started acquiring many businesses including PCS and CT-2 business licenses, and founded KT Freetel.

In 1997, KT became a government-invested institution and started two new services. In 1998, KT was listed on the stock exchange and it also commercialized the telephone voting service. Next year, the company also got listed in the foreign stock exchange and it was the first company in Korea to announce that the Y2K problem was solved. At the beginning of the 21st century, there were several discussions and plans for the privatization of KT Corporation.

Privatization of KT Corporation

The privatization plans of the company were announced in May 2001 and the company also celebrated its 20th anniversary. The same year, the company changed its name from Korea Telecom to KT. In 2002, the privatization of the company was finalized. By 2005, KT had a total of 12 subsidiaries, and its total assets summed up to $29.315 trillion. In late 2005, the company established an inter-Korean telecommunication service as it opened a branch office in North Korea for the first time. In 2009, a big merger took place between KT Corporation and its wireless subsidiary KTF. The newly merged entity became the first company in South Korea to launch the iPhone in the Korean market. KT apart from the inter-Korean business has also expanded to other nations like Bangladesh, Brunei, Mongolia, South Africa, Poland, Rwanda, the US, and Uzbekistan.

Hyeon-Mo Koo – CEO of KT Corporation

Hyeon-Mo Koo joined KT Corporation in 2009 as the Senior Vice President of the management strategy department. In the past eleven years, he switched from various positions in other departments and became the CEO of the company in 2020. He studied industrial engineering from Seoul National University and also holds a Ph.D. in management engineering.

swisscom

Swisscom, One of the most efficient Telecommunications providers in Switzerland.

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Swisscom is Switzerland’s leading provider of communication, information technology, and entertainment. Swisscom employs over 19,000 people and is one of Switzerland’s most innovative and sustainable companies. Operating the simplest mobile network and largest fiber-optic network in Switzerland, Swisscom offers maximum bandwidths nationwide. The Company network is fast, sustainable, secure, and prepared for anything.

The Backstory of Swisscom

At the beginning of 1852, Switzerland started the first telecommunications service between St. Gallen and Zurich. Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone in 1876 gave the field new impetus. In 1917, Zurich-Gottingen started the operation of the first half-automatic telephone switchboard. By 1959, Switzerland’s telephone system became the world’s first completely automated network, there were 1 million subscribers. In 1962, Telstar was launched in space, the first telecommunications satellite. The first exchange to allow direct international dialing was unveiled at the Expo 1964 in Lausanne.

Swisscom
Image Source: web24.news

In 1974, in the canton of Wallis, the Earth satellite station of Leuk was operational. In 1975, PTT-Betreibe (Postal and Telecommunications Services of Switzerland) decided to introduce a mobile telephone network for vehicles (NATEL). The first NATO A network, followed by NATEL B in 1983 and NATEL C in 1987, was established three years later. Between Berne and Neuchâtel the first fiber optic cable was placed in 1985. The first Swiss digital telecommunications network Telecom PTT was introduced in 1988.

In 1992, under the name NATEL D, the mobile phone network was digitized. In 1996, the internet portal “Blue Windows” of Telecom PTT became the market leader soon. Telecom PTT was converted to Swisscom on 1 October 1997. Swisscom Ltd was bought on the stock exchange on 5 October 1998. Swisscom became a part of the television industry in 2007 and led the digital television market with 791,000 subscribers by the end of 2012. In 2009, the fiber-optic network expansion in Switzerland was pushed forward by Swisscom.

Products And Services:

For Residential Customers:-

Surf with Internet Security more safely. The company’s security and anti-viruses protect your devices against viruses, hackers, and spyware. Since 2002 Swisscom has offered free internet access to all Swiss schools. It is in the interests of more than 6000 schools. In Swiss education systems, they are much more concerned with sustainable and efficient ICT.

For Businesses:-

Double Robotics is a modern telepresence system, and an entirely different step towards interactions with staff, customers and business partners. For companies with multiple locations and/or operating internationally, Double Robotics is ideal. Double robotics is also suited for companies offering flexible working models to their employees. It allows you to move around the room in freedom, unlike classic video conferencing in which you can only see a screen. The totally mobile Double allows physical presence from around the world in the workplace.

Digital signing is legally and securely possible with electronic signatures. It is therefore a core digitization element and enables any type of contract to be concluded. No printing, no letter sending, no scanning – with an electronic signature everything is completely digital. Client Hardware Service provides you with access to advanced, efficient devices, ideal for flexibility and environmental impact reduction.

Conextrade helps you throughout the entire digital process chain whether with e-procurement or e-invoicing. Swisscom managed services link companies and suppliers with all the current technologies and support the entire procurement-to-paid and order-to-cash process from e-invoicing. CuraMED is the web-based information system for the next-generation medical practice for electronic documentation and process optimization. Configured to the highest security standards, this software-as-a-service solution features an extensive and modern medical information system that is suited to your individual needs.

Urs Schaeppi, The Genius behind Swisscom

Since 2013, Urs Schaeppi has served as Head of Swisscom (Switzerland) Ltd and Chief Executive Officer of Swisscom. He graduated from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich with a degree in engineering and the University of St. Gallen with a degree in business administration. His professional career began in R&D at Iveco, followed by marketing at Ascom. In addition, he was promoted to Operations Manager at Papierfabrik Biberist.

In 1998, he joined the Mobile division as Head of Commercial Business after the formation of Swisscom. He was appointed CEO of Swisscom Solutions in 2006 and soon after became Head of the Enterprise Customers division. He sits on the boards of several economic and educational organizations.

Telefonica

Telefonica: The Leader of the Telecom Industry of Spain

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There are several names in the telecom industry that have a great history and have been contributing agents to the industry itself. An about century-old Telefonica is an example of such an organization. Telefonica has its headquarter located in Madrid Spain, and it has been in the business of fixed-line telephony, mobile telephony, broadband internet as well as digital television.

Telefonica is counted as one of the largest telecom company, and in this long period of Telefonica’s existence, it has expanded its operations overseas and has established as one of the dominant telecom company in 24 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, France, Germany, the UK, etc. 

According to the 2017 list of Forbes, Telefónica was the 110th largest company in the world. As of 2018, the recorded annual revenue of Telefonica was €48.7 billion, and around 120,138 employees were working at the company’s various offices around the world.

The Foundational Story of Telefonica

Telefonica is a almost a century old as was founded in 1924 as Compañía Telefónica Nacional de España (CTNE) in Madrid. ITT was the major shareholder in the company at that time, and by 1945, the state had taken over about 80% of the company shares. Since the state was a major stakeholder in Telefonica, till the year 1997, it had a monopoly over the telecommunication industry of Spain.

Telefonica laid down the first long-distance telephone line in Madrid in 1925, and the next year, it established an underground telephone network at Puente de Toledo, Madrid. The company stayed the only company providing telephone service in Spain till 1960. In 1967, Telefonica entered into satellite communications and commissioned the first Special Data Transmission Network in Europe in 1971.

In the next seven years, Telefonica had installed about 10 million phones and also got listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1987. In 1989, Telefonica also played a crucial role in the composition of Hispasat.

Telefonica
Image Source: eleconomista.es

Only in three years of entering Chile, the company controlled around 98% of the population for its analog mobile telephone in the country in 1993. In 1994, the company launched its digital mobile service in Peru with the name Movistar. The next year, with the emergence of the internet, Telefonica also launched its internet service named Infovía, and in the same year, the company turned into a partial private company. This privatization completed in 1999 and Telefonica also launched the ADSL broadband fixed access service in the same year.

The company also sold its subsidiary companies and its stakes in other companies in the following years, including Atento (2012), 40% assets in Central America (2013), Telefónica Ireland (2014), its stake in Telecom Italia (2014), Antares (2018), etc.

In 2011 The company created the T. Digital and TGR and had its Germany IPO in 2012. In 2014, Telefonica announced to become a new fully customer-oriented organization. The company created Telxius in 2017 and Aura in 2018. Aura was Telefonica’s way to Artificial Intelligence.

Acquisitions

In 2004, Telefonica acquired BellSouth assets in Latin America, and the next year it acquired Cesky Telecom. The company also bought a 5% share in China Netcom in 2005. The company acquired the operations of O2 in the UK, Germany, and Ireland in 2006 and also acquired 51% shares in Colombia Telecom in the same year. The next year, the company partnered with Telecom Italia, followed by the acquisition of Vivo Brazil in 2008. In 2009, it also partnered with China Unicom.

In 2010, Telefonica bought the operations of a company named Hansenet in Germany, Jajah in Israel, and Tuenti in Spain, and took over the operations of Vivo in Brasilcel. In the year 2014, Telefonica acquired  E-Plus in Germany, DTS (Canal +) in Spain, and GVT in Brazil.

The CEO

José María Álvarez-Pallete López was born on 12 December 1963, in Madrid and is a famous Spanish economist. Pallete López was appointed the CEO of Telfonica on 8 April 2016.

José María Álvarez-Pallete López CEO of Telefonica
Image Source: telefonica.com

Pallete López started his career at Arthur Young Auditors in 1987. But in 1988, he switched his job and joined Benito & Monjardín/Kidder, Peabody & Co., followed by taking a position in Compañía Valenciana de Cementos Portland (CEMEX) as head of the Investor Relations and Analysis Department in 1995. He handled various positions in the company like CFO, Chief Administration, and Finance Officer of the CEMEX Group’s international offices till 1998.

In 1999, Pallete López got an offer from Telefonica as the Managing Director of the Corporate & Finance in Telefónica S.A. After being posted to many positions like Executive Chairman of Telefonica International S.A., Managing Director of Latin America Telefonica, and President of Latin America Telefonica, he was appointed the CEO on 8 April 2016.

KDDI Logo

KDDI – Born out of a merger with Kazuo Inamori’s DDI that revolutionized the Japanese mobile telecommunication industry

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Japanese telecommunications organization called KDDI is known for providing cellular service in the country. It is born out of the merger of KDD, IDO, and DDI in 2000, renamed as KDDI. Headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, the firm served various telecommunication services under various brands. Such as it has mobile cellular service under brand name au by KDDI, and international voice and data service are provided under the brand “an Hikari”. However, its brand-named au one net is related to ISP network services. In 2011, KDDI was in news for purchasing CDNetworks for big money.

KDDI backstory of foundation

Traces of KDDI’s establishment are found in the DDI’s history. DDA aka Daini Denden, founded by Kazuo Inamori shifted the focus on the cell phone business amid deregulation of the telecom industry of japan. That time, it got a golden chance to explore the business, the deal was to merge with KDD and IDO. So, that’s how it emerged as KDDI in 2000, and the Japanese witnessed the emergence second-largest telecom service provider in Japan.

Further exploration

Just after two years of merger, brand new KDDI boomed in the telecommunication industry of Japan. All get started with the launch of the 3G network, based on CDMA2000 1x technology. Thereafter, the firm launched the CDMA 1X WIN brand to provide EV-DO Rev 0 service. With this, the firm introduced fixed rated data subscriptions plans for the first time in Japan. It was the revolutionary step introduced in the Japanese telecommunication industry. Not only this but KDDI also launched the first carrier service with a data rate of 3.1Mbit/s in 2006. Prior to that, the firm also introduced a ringtone download service called Chaku Uta Full. More than 10 million full-length songs had downloaded through this service within six months.

KDDI also entered in wireless data services, with a brand called EZ. In fact, it is one of the successful service ranges enabled by KDDI. The firm never limits the business to specific services, rather it has plunged into a variety of telecom services as per the need. This strategy leads to the continual growth of KDDI.  One of such examples of this strategy is reflected in an agreement sign with the Myanmar state. As per the agreement, KDDI along with one more partner can operate mobile phone service in Myanmar from July 2014 till the next 10 years. As well, it has set consumer showroom called KDDI Designing Studio. It also became a partner with Ericsson to develop 5G technology that will be delivered in near future.

Other Services and Products

Being 2nd largest cellular operator in Japan, it has acquired many customers in the country. With affordable cellular plans and fixed data rates, it also has numerous 3G subscribers in the region. Apart from that, KDDI has also developed applications for its customers, like its Mapion Local Search. It is pointing local search application launched in 2006. It was the first-ever such kind of application introduced in Japan, powered by GeoVector. Another well-known product of KDDI is Media Skin. A brand-new designer phone which also displayed at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Later on, in 2007, the firm started selling Media Skin.

Glimpse to Masterminds involved in KDDI Success

KDDI founder Kazuo Inamori
Image Creator: Akio Kon | Image Credit: Bloomberg

Kazuo Inamori

Born in 1932, Inamori is a well-known businessman, philanthropist, and entrepreneur hailed from Japan. Apart from founding KDDI, he also helped in the foundation of Kyocera. As well, he served as a chairman at Japan’s airlines.

Early life and Career

Graduated from Kagoshima University, Inamori worked at Shofu industries as a researcher in his early career. At that time, he was part of many important developments in the telecommunication sector. For example, the development of high-frequency insulator components. With his colleagues, he also set Kyoto Ceramic later renamed Kyocera.

Well, this was the period when he created his very own Amoeba Management system for the company’s profit. In 1984, after deregulation of the Japanese telecom sector, he set up Daini Denden(DDI) Which later on became KDDI. Apart from industrial reforms, he also served as the international advisor of Goldman Sachs Group. As well, he became Japan Airlines CEO at the age of 77.

Trimuph of Kazuo Inamori

He has been honored with many prestigious awards for his industrial as well as social work. Apart from that several Universities awarded him Honorary Doctorate. Some of the renowned awards of Mr. Kazuo are International Citizens Award (2011), and Othmer Gold Medal, 2011. Recently, in 2019, he has been honored as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Takashi Tanaka

He is the present CEO at KDDI since 2018. Tanaka also one of the board members at Okinawa Cellular Telephone Co. In his early career, he served as Chairman for UQ Communications, Inc.

Rogers Communications

Rogers Communications – See how Father-Son Duo helped in commercializing the Radio industry in Canada

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Canada-based Rogers Communications is primarily operating in the field of wireless communications for a long time. The inventor of the AC heater filament cathode, Edward Rogers Sr. built the strong foundation of Rogers Communications, and the legacy is continued by his son Edward Jr. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, the firm us providing miscellaneous service in internet connectivity, cable television, and other telecommunication and mass media-related service.

In Canada, Rogers’s communications is a tough rival of Bell Canada, Telus, and Shaw Communications. As well, it is one of the communications providers in a region which dominates the market. Presently, it has many subsidiaries like Rogers Bank, Rogers Cable, Chatr, and Fido Solution. Rogers Telecom, Rogers Sports & Media, and Rogers Wireless are also some of the subsidiaries of the firm.

Rogers Communications Backstory

The roots of the foundation of Rogers’s communications were found in the establishment of the CFTO television station. Prior to that, Edward Rogers Sr. had enabled radios that can be powered by electric current. It was the result of his invention, the AC heater filament cathode for radio tube changed the whole scenario. This invention brought revolution and did a crucial role in commercializing radio reception. After establishing the CFRB radio station, he also focused on Television. But unfortunately, he died in the middle of his radar experiment.  Thereafter, his son Edward Jr. also known as Ted decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.

In the year 1960, Edward Jr. and his friend Joel Aldred acquired an FM radio station CHFI. Plus, this duo later established CFTO-TV as the foremost television station own by a private company. Back in 1967, they started Rogers Cable which was later renamed Rogers Communications in 1986. Just within 20 years, the firm has achieved popularity in the market. It also purchased the Canada based cable system in 1979. Thereafter, the firm has marked its name in the list of Toronto Stock Exchange.

The masterminds behind Rogers Communications success

Rogers Communications
Image Source: rogers.com

Edward Rogers Junior

Ted Rogers also famous as Edward Rogers Jr. has continued the legacy of his father and flourish the business built on his father’s dream. Apart from being a well-known businessman, he is a philanthropist and was among the richest persons in Canada. Born to a scientist and businessman, Ted also put his best efforts to follow the path of his father. Coming to his education, he attended Upper Canada College, Trinity College, and Osgoode Hall Law school. While studying, Ted purchased the shares in the home-grown radio station CHFI. After several hard works, he could collect the money to fulfill the dream venture of Mr. Edward Sr.    

Besides serving as a long time CEO and president at Rogers Communications, he was also appointed at several reputed positions. Such as the Grade of Officer of the order of Canada. He had been honored with the Golden Plate Award in 1990. It is one of the highest awards given by the American Academy of Achievement. As well, both father and son were inducted into the Telecommunication Hall of Fame of Canada.

Present CEO- Joe Natale

He is serving as the president and CEO at Rogers Communications. Joe Natale is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Rogers Communications. Prior to that, he served as Telus corporation’s CEO and President. He has put his efforts into building the globally recognized firm that Telus is today. After working at several leading firms in the wireless telecommunication industry, he is now driving the business of Rogers Communications. However, Joe entered the telecommunication industry in 1987, as an employee of Accenture. At that time, Rogers Communications was a dream company of many, which he became an important part of after working at several firms.

Studied at the University of Waterloo, Joe has a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science. Apart from that, he along with his wife involved in many social works.  He is one of the board trustees at Toronto’s Hospital for sick children. As well, the couple supports many arts and healthcare initiatives. Joe was also honored with the Top 40 under 40 Award, Canada.

Bottom Line

Today, Rogers Communications is one of the dominant wireless communication service providers in Canada. With the long list of old clients in telephony services, high-speed internet services, and other IT services, the firm has also followed the trends to acquire new customers. The firm has been not only dominating the Canadian wireless industry but also is one of the tough competitors in the international market.