First ever 900 MHz mobile RFID (radio frequency identification) services that can provide product and traffic information using RFID reader ready cell phone was introduced.

B2B (business-to-business) dominant RFID industry just launched its first mobile RFID service (pilot) aimed at B2C (business-to-customer) on the 27th.

It is true that the RFID market due to lack of industry professionals and references combined with high cost drove low demand and activities up to now. However, with recent MOU contract between Korean administration's U-IT cluster drive center and Alien Technology to build RFID solution center in Inchon South Korea, and full "end-to-end" RFID products from Symbol Technology in their 2007 lineups are warming up the market.

RFID to expand into B2C market anticipated
The latest mobile RFID trial service through reader and chip implants in cell phone; to allow general public to use the technology and in turn bringing up the new marketable areas.

IT strategy support team leader Jongsung Hwang under Korean national information society agency commented, "To find effective RFID applications in public sector, the mobile RFID trial project was launched. Results of this project will determine what other RFID related areas need to be focused to bring up the growth in this sector."

One of the main reasons why this trial project is getting buzz is due to much improved 900MHz technology. This is comparable to Nokia's GSM cell phone with 13.56MHz RFID reader trial service in 2004 and also Philips' 13.56MHz Reader and tag service supported cell phone project.

Utilizing 900MHz channel technology, setting standard actively pursued
ETRI, with its already completed cell phone embeddable RFID reader and chips in last June combining with its 900MHz technology development already running has added advantage to utilize using the existing tags for the new medium.

Earlier erected mobile RFID forum between cell phone manufactures and Telecomm in February, 2005 has created 47 standards currently and promoting its standardization through TTA (Telecommunications Technology Association).

External RFID reader phone (left) and internal reader phone from Pantech

A trial project candidate SKT and KTF consortiums has developed their own external reader which can be used with the exiting cell phone. Also ETRI, Pantech & Curitel, Samsung Electronics and SKT are working on joint project to develop the RFID reader ready cell phones which will be used in the market trial services.

Plans to provide trial services both in commercial and private sectors
Market trials will be done through both in commercial and public sectors. SKT will offer up to 66 different digital contents with U-portal service, KTF will provide wine and movie information with its U-commerce and bus routing information, U-station service as a commercially available service.

Screenshot -using wine information service

In addition, RFID tags will be installed on all taxi cabs in Seoul (70,000) to provide reliable taxi information to friends and families, food, medicine information as a public service until this December. Travel and tourist related information won't be available until July 2007.

Some industry analyst is less optimistic about marketability of the mobile RFID in commercial service. They point out that extra inconvenience of adding reader to cell phone and already available features in wireless data just doesn't add up and thinks it's unrealistic. Also, doubts about price and popularity of SoC reader installed cell phone (coming in next March) were addressed.

Korean national information society agency and related agencies are keeping its close eyes on the outcome of the initial trial services to determine future commercial services. KTF next-G lab director Minjung Kim commented, "Whenever budget to trial project is being submitted, its success is always questioned. I have high hopes for the trial project." and "Price range of RFID reader installed cell phone should be pretty close to regular high-end cell phone."he added.