KT will provide high-quality services in elevators, which have been a vulnerable area for wireless communication. KT (Chairman Lee Suk-chae) announced on November 29 that it has independently developed and commercialized ELORHA technology, a communication technology that uses wired optical cables to provide uninterrupted call quality even inside elevators, for the first time in Korea in 32 apartments nationwide.

ELORHA (ELevator Optic Repeater with HAmsase) is a technology that provides high-quality 3G and LTE services to customers in elevators by connecting the transmitter in the building's underground parking lot and the repeater section in the elevator with wired optical cables to stably transmit and receive signals.

Previously, signals were sent and received wirelessly between the elevator and the external transmitter, causing a lot of radio wave loss and interference. For this reason, customers complained of inconveniences such as poor call quality and service in the elevator.

In addition, it was difficult to communicate with the outside world even in the event of an elevator accident, and women and parents with small children were particularly worried due to a recent spate of violent crimes in elevators. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, there are about 14,000 complaints of poor cell phone service from the three major mobile operators in elevators every year.

In order to resolve the inconvenience and anxiety of customers in elevators, KT began joint development with Intellian Technologies (www.intelliantech.com), a company specializing in related technologies, in 2011 and commercialized the technology for the first time in Korea, and also holds related patents.

The 'Eloha' technology is available in two models: an integrated model mounted on the monitor installed in the elevator and an external model installed separately. In particular, in the case of the all-in-one model, it is possible to share the equipment for digital signage in the existing elevator without having to install multiple equipment separately, providing excellent call quality at a low cost.

Currently, KT has commercialized Eloha technology in elevators in 32 apartment complexes nationwide, including Seoul, Incheon, and Busan, and will continue to expand its use in apartments in major cities nationwide, including Seoul and the Seoul metropolitan area.

"Eloha is a breakthrough technology that was created through close collaboration between KT and SMEs to improve call quality in elevators," said Sung-mok Oh, head of KT's Wireless Network Headquarters. "We will continue to listen to our customers' voices and develop technologies based on them to provide the best wireless network environment in Korea."