`Digital Home Network` to Be Popularized in 2007

The Ministry of Information and Communication viewed the home network services will be popularized and 10 million households, which accounts for 61 percent of the total domestic households, will have digital home facilities by the year 2007.

The Information Ministry said yesterday that it would inject 2 trillion won ($1.7 billion) to develop the digital homes by the year 2007.

According to the Information Ministry, each house hold will have a 20Mbps level of optical fiber installed, electronic appliances will be hooked up to the wired and wireless internet network, so they can be controlled from the outside of the house.

The special consumption tax will be temporarily applied to digital TV, so as to popularize them. The Information Ministry has decided to recommend internet service providers to change their clauses to allow customers for several computers to share a line.

In addition, The Information Ministry, in order to create the digital home market, decided to promote home network models and promising services which are adequate for existing houses or general apartments by organizing government participating case driven projects. The Information Ministry is planning to hold a public hearing to listen to opinions on the digital home development plan today at the Hotel Inter-Continental, located Samsung-dong, Seoul.

Tae-Han Kim freewill@donga.com