Koryolink

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Koryolink
고려 링크
legal form joint venture
founding 2008
Seat Korea NorthNorth Korea Pyongyang
Branch telecommunications
As of October 10, 2016

Koryolink is the UMTS - mobile network Cheo Technology, a joint venture of North Korea with the Egyptian telecommunications company Orascom Telecom Media and Technology Holding .

Company history

From 2002 to 2004, a network with SunNet was already in place on an experimental basis, but in 2004 all cell phones were withdrawn. The SunNet network was shut down at the end of 2010. In 2007, the Orascom Group offered the North Korean government to complete the ruins of the Ryugyŏng Hot'el if it were to receive a cell phone license in return. Pyongyang agreed for a period of 25 years and founded the joint venture "Cheo Technology". Approximately US $ 400 million was invested.

  • North Koreans at celebrations for Kim Il-sung's 100th birthday (2012)

  • A woman is on the phone in Pyongyang

  • Cyclists in Hamhŭng

At the end of 2015 it became known that the Egyptian company had in fact "lost control". Of a total of US $ 585 million in profit , only US $ 7.2 million should have been transferred to Egypt.

Corporate structure

While the North Korean government holds 25%, the remaining 75% remain with the Egyptian telecommunications company.

Tariffs and costs

There are separate networks for foreigners and North Koreans. A SIM card costs around € 200. Only prepaid cards are available.

The following tariff options are available:

  • approx. € 120.00 per month for 50 MB of mobile internet
  • approx. € 80.00 per month for phone calls

Mobile internet for foreigners

As a special service, Koryolink offered data tariffs for tourists and foreigners living in the country. The offer started on February 26, 2013 and was restricted again on March 29, 2013.

Terms of contract

With the conclusion of the contract, the customer undertakes neither to misuse the devices nor to pass on state secrets. Finally, there is a review by the security authorities.

Number of participants

As of October 14, 2015, Koryolink had more than 3 million customers according to Reuters .

reception

So far, the network only covers larger cities and important transport corridors (approx. 15% of the country's area), but reaches 90% of the population. There should be around 300 transmitter masts across the country . Telephone calls abroad may only be made by foreigners living in the country.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Blog of a Russian student in Pyongyang: Changes for New Year 2011
  2. ↑ heise mobil - c't ( Memento from December 17, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ Cellular: UMTS for North Korea - SPIEGEL ONLINE
  4. ^ Daily NK : Bloomberg: North Korea to Allow Mobile Phones
  5. ↑ a b Christoph Giesen: Close-up: No reception in North Korea . In: sueddeutsche.de . November 1, 2015, ISSN  0174-4917 ( sueddeutsche.de [accessed October 10, 2016]).
  6. ↑ 31C3: Linux without root access in North Korea | heise online
  7. ^ University of Kim Il Sung: A visit to North Korea's computer science students - Golem.de
  8. ↑ http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00100&num=10345
  9. ↑ http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00100&num=10448
  10. ↑ No State Secrets on Koryolink! - Daily NK
  11. ↑ Koryolink said to have 3 million subscriptions. In: North Korea Tech - 노스 코리아 테크. Retrieved October 16, 2015 .
  12. ↑ North Korea is no longer a dead zone - faz.net