Episode 175. invitation letter.
Executive Vice President Shin-Hyun, head of the World Telecommunication Network Division, asked me.
“The market share of MVNO operators other than the four major carriers is very low. If we partner with that company, there may not be many customers, is that okay?”
“So that’s even better. Knowing that we have 4G communication technology will be even more welcomed by them. MVNO operators are doing business by renting networks from the four major carriers, but at the same time, carriers are their competitors. We have to somehow steal customers from the four major carriers, and when we show up, they’ll say it’s cool. And customers, if our service is good, the number of customers will increase. People know what is good in the end.”
“Executive Director Shin proceeds as I said, and if there is any progress, please report it as soon as possible.”
I was listening to the end-of-month business report from CEO Woo Gwan-ho.
“Since we exclusively supplied YourNavi’s navigation system, our sales have continued to increase, and the pace has accelerated since we started selling new cars, one in the passenger category and one in the SUV category, last month. Domestic sales this month were 600 billion won, accounting for 30% of the market share. Overseas sales also increased significantly, reaching $1 billion, of which $400 million was generated in the United States alone. This is similar to the US sales of high-end cars.”
President Woo continued to speak with an expression of excitement.
“To achieve this level of sales in the United States, a battlefield for famous automakers around the world, is an achievement that has never been achieved since its foundation. Of course, I have benefited from the navigation option offered a lot, but anyway, within three months of turning to the black, the monthly operating profit jumped to 200 billion won.”
I nodded my head with a calm face because it was a result I had expected to some extent.
President Woo’s voice grew louder.
“CEO. This isn’t good enough. Until the beginning of this year, no one could have imagined that our white cattle car would produce such a solid profit. Even most of the executives and employees were thinking that the company would eventually go bankrupt. However, a lot has changed in just 7 months since the CEO took over Baekwoo Tea. The union stopped the strike, the development of the new product went fast and, above all, our car started to sell on the market. It’s an incredible change, even though I’ve been through it myself.”
“haha. Woo boss. What if you are already so moved? This is just the beginning. I told you. I’m going to make Baekwoo Car a world-class automaker. And I am a person who keeps my promises.”
President Wu nodded his head broadly.
“I am confident that we can be that way now. Most of all, the representative is with us.”
“It’s good that you believe me. Then let’s talk about the electronics division, a weapon that will make us a top-notch automobile company.”
“Have the front and rear monitoring systems been developed?”
“yes. Thank you for sending a digital camera module representative from Damoye. Miniature digital cameras were installed on the front and rear of the car body to connect to the navigation system. When the vehicle is in forward gear, the driving video is saved, and when the reverse gear is engaged, the rear image is displayed on the navigation screen. We’ve been offering it as an option for shipping new cars since about a week ago, and it’s very popular.”
“okay. Once that’s done, let’s make the next item, ACC, the adaptive cruise system.”
ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control)
A radar sensor is combined with the cruise control system, which is a system that keeps the driving speed constant at the level desired by the driver.
It maintains a constant distance from the vehicle in front without the driver’s separate operation.
It is a system that allows you to drive along the lane.
“..ACC?”
“The cruise system has been around for a while, so you know Mr. Woo well, right?”
“Yes. When the driver wants to keep the speed limit on the highway, the car automatically maintains the speed without stepping on the accelerator, so it is popular in countries like the United States, where there are many straight highways.”
“Right. I’m thinking of adding radar to this cruise system. That way, you can create a system that can automatically react when a car in front cuts in or veers out of your lane. In that sense, we added an adjective meaning adaptive, that is, responding to the situation.”
At that, President Woo looked at me with surprised eyes.
“Does that mean we want to make a self-driving car?”
“It is my ultimate goal. However, it is still too early to use the word autonomous driving with ACC. It has to be able to completely replace what drivers do, and there is no other option to the level of following the car in front.”
“..As expected, the scale you think is different. Self-driving cars… Not only Kowon and Jina, but also world-famous automakers, no company is trying to make such a thing yet.”
“haha. It goes without saying that the battlefield is the core of autonomous vehicles. Because the fields of specialization are different. Just because the best car company makes a good engine doesn’t mean they can’t make a good battlefield. Radar parts can be developed jointly with Professor Seung-Jun Lee of Seoul National University. Professor Lee is a radar expert, so it will be very helpful.”
“All right. We will report on the development progress on a regular basis.”
Gathering Center, S-Project Conference Room.
I looked at the 6.5-inch sample in front of me with ecstatic eyes.
“..is this the completed D phone?”
Seo Do-wan, the team leader in charge of the exterior of the organization, answered my question.
“That’s right. As the CEO said, leaving only one home button on the front, all other buttons are put on the side, and the camera module is installed in the front as well as the back, so video calls are possible. The four vertices were rounded off to give it a soft feel, so the overall design came out pretty good. The only downside is that the bezels (the part of the display screen that don’t actually light up) are a bit wide, but it’s not too annoying.”
After that, Team Leader Yoo Gang in charge of communication reported to me.
“I’m talking about communication. You can choose between Wi-Fi and mobile data modes, and when you select mobile data, if either 4G/2G is not available, the other signal is immediately acquired. If you move from the 4G zone to the 2G zone, communication may be cut off for a while, but it will take only 2-3 seconds, so you won’t feel any inconvenience.”
“Is the communication going well with 4G?”
Team Leader Yoo smiled and took the D phone and handed it to me.
“Try it yourself.”
I held the D phone in my hand and took a few deep breaths.
‘Whoa… you’ve finally come this far.’
A lot of things that I’ve been through so far flashed past my eyes in an instant.
I put my finger, trembling lightly with pleasant tension, on the D phone.
The word ‘LTE’, which I was quite accustomed to in my previous life, was floating on the top of the screen, so I could tell that the 4G signal was being captured well.
When I touched the web browser with my index finger, in less than a second, the screen switched to the main page of the DAJI portal.
The speed was not significantly different from that when accessed from a desktop connected to the VDSL wired network.
Director Yoo spoke to me, who was immersed in web surfing.
“Download speed is 20Mbps. Theoretically, it can reach up to 75Mbps, but since it is in the early stages of 4G communication, this is the limit now. In the future, when the communication equipment is improved, the speed will be even higher.”
VDSL, the fastest among the wired communication networks currently installed, was a communication method that could theoretically deliver up to 50Mbps.
As the equipment was not optimized, the current maximum speed was only about 25Mbps.
At 20Mbps, it was slightly slower than VDSL.
Even at this speed, it is 10 times faster than ADSL, which is about 2-3 Mbps that most people are using now.
It was a huge achievement that could surprise the whole world.
I said to Han Seong-wook, team leader in charge of semiconductors.
“You really reduced the size of the D phone to this point before the end of the year. I am also a leader.”
“I have benefited from the AP (Application Processor) that TM Logic made and sent to me. I heard that CEO Kang designed it too, and it was great!”
I raised my thumb in the air.
“haha. Anyway, it’s cool. one chief. You made my dreams come true.”
One manager laughed.
“If you like it, it’s worth the effort. haha. But this isn’t perfect yet. Although many parts have been replaced with semiconductors, there is still room for improvement. If even all of those parts are replaced with semiconductors, a 6-inch or smaller D phone will be available.”
“For now, that is enough. Once you have it in one hand. You really did a great job.”
A team leader made a humble expression.
“I’m not the only one who suffered, what?”
I held the D phone at face height and looked at the S-Project members.
“As I said before, the D-Phone is going to change the world a lot. And you will be remembered as the people who changed the world. In the meantime, you have worked hard to complete this one small product.”
When I finished my words, the members applauded.
Manager Yu said to me.
“The hardship was the most difficult for the CEO. Without the CEO, it would have been absolutely impossible for the smartphone to come out now. No matter how you look at it, this is high-tech that was 10 years ahead. We made it, but it still doesn’t feel right.”
“haha. Now all that’s left to do is sell this wonderful thing well. I’ll take care of that, so you guys stay tuned to see how the world changes.”
The headquarters of the famous British daily The Daily Telegraph.
Social affairs reporter Jerry received an urgent call from the editor-in-chief.
“Chief. Did you call?”
“Five! The pride of our social department, Jerry, are you here?”
“I’m proud of myself… haha. What did you call me for?”
The chief clapped his hand.
“Sit down for now. Would you like some coffee?”
After the director places his hand-made coffee in front of Jerry.
I took a letter out of my desk and brought it with me.
“This is why I asked to see you.”
“Is this… an invitation?”
“okay. It’s from Damoyeo, read it.”
When Jerry opened the letter, it read:
We invite you to the presentation of the invention of the century, the D phone.
When: December 23rd, 7:30pm
Venue: 27th and 28th floor of Damoye Center, Seoul, Korea.
