By Kim Yoo-chul

SK Telecom said Thursday that it has agreed with Nokia to jointly develop superfast fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology.

The collaboration calls for both companies to construct a test bed for wireless solutions that can activate within the 5G network by the end of this year.

The test bed will be installed in SK Telecom’s technology center in Bundang, on the outskirts of Seoul.

“SK Telecom and Nokia intend to operate pilot programs of 5G by 2018. The companies plan to develop core 5G network technologies such as those for the gigabit-level data communications and cloud-based virtualized base station,” said Korea’s top mobile carrier in a statement.

Specifically, the two companies intend to spend more for the development of cmWave and mmWave 5G technology, which uses expanded radio spectrum resources in ultra-high bands over six-gigahertz for data communications.

SK Telecom officials say this technology is being discussed as one of the core 5G technologies by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, an organization to set up new mobile tech standard.

The SK Group’s telecommunications affiliate said the signing ceremony was held at Nokia’s headquarters. The head of SK’s research center Choi Jin-sung and Hossein Moiin, head of technology and innovation at Nokia, attended the signing.

“By joining hands with Nokia, we expect to accelerate our speed towards the development of core 5G technologies,” Choi said in the statement. “Envisioning an era where all things and people are organically connected, SK Telecom will continue to bring innovative changes to the mobile network structure.”

“The future of mobile telecommunications network will not only connect people, but things as well. In the end, 5G will further extend human potential through advanced telecommunications technologies,” said Hossien Moiin at Nokia in the press release.

“Together with SK Telecom, Nokia will make efforts to allow diverse futuristic services to be efficiently provided through 5G technologies.”

SK Telecom previously signed an agreement with the Finnish technology company to cooperate on the development of technologies including virtualization, software-based network establishment and next-generation cloud network management.