SK Telecom is planning to expand its Smart Home ecosystem by supporting small and medium home appliance manufacturers that are having difficulties in developing Smart Home appliances.
According to a survey of the smart home industry released on September 18, sales of the nation's smart home industry are expected to grow 6.8 percent to reach 40 trillion won by 2025.
However, small and medium home appliance companies cited barriers to entry into the market centered on conglomerates as a difficult part of the smart home business.
In response, SK Telecom has prepared 'Easy Side-On' (ERO) program to help small and medium home appliance manufacturers make diverse Smart Home devices more convenient.
First of all, it has simplified complicated procedures for partnership process that is usually difficult for small and medium home appliance manufacturers that develop Smart Home IoT devices.
Various stages such as inquiry of interlink development through exhibition, consultation on partnership, and contract preparation can be conveniently processed on SK Telecom's homepage.
SK Telecom also supports the development of SK Telecom-certified Wi-Fi modules for small and medium-sized companies that have little experience in designing Wi-Fi modules for smart home connections and are having difficulties in developing devices.
As the first step of the program, SK Telecom signed a business agreement with Easysaver, JoongAng Control and Winners at SK Telecom headquarters in Seoul on November 27.
"We will try to solve the difficulties of small businesses and create a wider smart home ecosystem through the Easy Ride-on program," said Cho Young-hoon, director of SK Telecom Home Business Unit. "We will work with various partners to reduce entry barriers and create social values in the smart home market."