Korea Telecom
Why it's so cutting-edge: Almost any and every carrier in Asia could be on this list, so let the debate begin, but we like KT for being the first carrier to take a chance on WiMAX (or actually the similar Korean standard WiBro). We couldn't get a bead on how many customers its service has garnered so far, but carrier already offers at least 20 WiBro-enabled devices, so something must be going well. What KT's doing provides a model for how telcos--yes, dreary old telcos--can supplement and extend their broadband service strategies with new wireless tools.
But can it keep that edge? When the government is standing right behind you as a guiding influence, you probably won't lose your momentum. The primary challenges for KT may be related to how quickly other mobile broadband technologies become available. If the Long Term Evolution standard becomes a short-term option, could that affect KT competitively or change its WiBro course?
