The government lashed out at the nation three mobile operators for their lackluster investment in third-generation (3G) wireless telephony platforms. An advisory panel of the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) held a meeting and issued warnings to top carriers SK Telecom and KTF for their low investment in wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA). The panel also criticized LG Telecom, the smallest player, for not embarking on a pilot service of an alternative 3G offering called CDMA2000 1x EV-DV (evolution data and voice). W-CDMA licensees of SK Telecom and KTF were supposed to channel 300 billion won and 250 billion won last year on the platform, but they spent 90 percent and 88 percent of the planned investment, an MIC official said. If the carriers fail to abide by its W-CDMA investment again, he added that the ministry plans to punish them with measures such as fines. SK Telecom promised to spend 600 billion won in W-CDMA this year and KTF vowed to funnel 300 billion in the European 3G format. The two carriers said they would keep their word as W-CDMA services are expected to finally gain steam after years of setbacks. LG Telecom was also warned for its delayed launch of EV-DV but the MIC was aware that LG had little responsibility as EV-DV chipmaker Qualcomm put research on the back burner. Instead, the MIC official said the ministry would allow LG Telecom to select EV-DO revision A (rA), which is being developed by Qualcomm as LG next technology.