KT applied the battery saving technology that increases the smartphone use time up to 45% to the LTE nationwide network. Battery saving technology service has been started full-scale service from this month.

Smartphones reduce battery usage by minimizing network access when not using data as if a technology that cuts fuel consumption by turning off the engine when the car is stopped,

The battery saving technology has been secured by all three mobile carriers. However, KT is the first to solve the network quality problem due to the application of technology and provide full-scale nationwide service.

KT has announced a new battery-saving technology (C-DRX: Connected mode Discontinuous Reception) at a meeting held at KT Gwanghwamun building in Jongno-gu, Seoul on April 12.

C-DRX is a technology that is able to increase battery life through network technology but not physically increasing battery capacity. The battery usage is reduced by switching the communication function of the smartphone periodically to the low power mode in the data connection state.

In fact, KT has been verified by Korea Telecommunication Technology Association (TTA), a standardization and testing and certification organization that the battery usage time of the Samsung Galaxy S8 by applying this technology has increased by up to 4 hours and 27 minutes (45%) than before. Galaxy S7 Edge also increased battery usage time by 43% once C-DRX was applied. Since this technology is applied to the network, the user does not need to update the smartphone separately.

Kang Kuk-hyun, head of KT Marketing department, explained, ‘KT users can enjoy battery-saving effects regardless of their device or region. The usage time will increase by 40% on average, depending on the usage environment, such as high-definition content replay etc.’

C-DRX technology has already been applied to smartphones abroad. The reason behind the delay of this service launch in Korea is that the quality of communication in Korea is superior to that of overseas so that the quality of service may be deteriorated in the case of the technology is applied. According to Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, the average data loss rate in the US is 0.83%, while the average data loss rate in Korea is only 0.06%. When the C-DRX was first applied to the network two years ago, the data loss rate was 0.14%. Mr. Kang said, ‘It was necessary to lower the loss rate down to 0.06% in order to apply this technology as Korea`s communication quality was overwhelmingly good. KT has been providing 73 parameters for the past two years, 35 field tests during the night, 114 type phone tests in total 3240 hours. As a result of conducting quality tests of all terminals, we are ready to start to meet the standards.’

As for C-DRX, SK Telecom has said that it has been providing services only in the Seoul metropolitan area and Chungcheong province since May of last year. However, it has been turned off due to base station upgrade in preparation for launch of the Galaxy S8 this month.


KT has provided evidence that SK Telecom has not applied the technology, and the two companies have been working on truth. C-DRX is a communication log record between a base station and a terminal, allowing third parties to confirm whether or not the technology is applied. Although, SK Telecom had stated ‘We applied C-DRX technology in May last year and provided services in metropolitan areas.’ And SK stated ‘C-DRX function is turned off for upgrading the base station’ once KT announced its log record. Currently, SK Telecom has turned on the C-DRX function of base stations in Gwanghwamun in Seoul and Bundang in Gyeonggi province. A representative of LG U Plus said, ‘Although we can provide C-DRX function at any time, we do not use service quality as it is more important than battery saving.’

By Jung Yoon Hee yuni@


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