South Korea's SK Telecom plans to launch LTE services in Q3, according to new CEO Ha Sung-Min.
The operator intends to commence LTE services in Seoul, and expand its coverage nationwide by 2013, Ha said in his first news conference since taking office.
The company had previously only revealed plans to launch LTE sometime this year.
Market leader SK Telecom, which has been accelerating its network spending to address the soaring demand for mobile data, will also invest heavily in high-speed Wi-Fi and data femtocells in 2011.
Ha unveiled the company's business direction for the year ahead, which he said concentrates on the three pillars of speed, openness and collaboration.
He said the company had incorporated a new Platform Business unit to help develop its platform portfolio, and revealed plans to work with its competitors to promote growth areas including NFC and Cloud Computing.
“We are no longer living in an era where a company alone can grow and thrive in the ICT industry. Now it is imperative that the whole industry achieve co-growth through the spirit of openness and collaboration,” he said.