NTT DATA CORP
New all-photonics technology and acceleration of open network standards will propel NTT DATA ’ s global vision for 5G solutions in the B2B market
NTT DATA is Japan ’ s second largest provider of IT services by market share , and one of the nation ’ s most influential technology firms . A 1988 offshoot from parent company NTT Group – which , in 2021 , exceeded revenues of US $ 100bn – it has spearheaded innovations that have established Japan ’ s position as a global leader in technological convenience and security , from the introduction of smart cards to virtual shopping malls .
In 2018 , NTT R & D published a thesis in Nature Photonics outlining its latest innovation : a groundbreaking vision for the future of communications technology called the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network ( IOWN ). It is a global initiative of two parts that will power NTT DATA ’ s global expansion : the first is collaboratively developing and establishing a global infrastructure standard as a proponent of Open Radio Access Networks ( Open RAN ) technologies ; the second is the introduction of allphotonics technology that will bring greater speed to the network , while simultaneously reducing energy consumption .
Over the past four years , NTT DATA has been working on commercialising the vision . In February 2021 , its
“ Our success and our clients ’ success in 5G will come from the B2B market ”
YASUHIRO HIGASHIYAMA HEAD OF GLOBAL BUSINESS , TELECOM & UTILITY SECTOR , NTT DATA JAPAN
sister company NTT DOCOMO launched a proof-of-concept , successfully transmitting 4k and 8k video data over a 5G connection to a Shinkansen bullet train travelling at 360km / h – with no handover issues .
From a consumer perspective , it is a value-added benefit to travelling on board Japan ’ s iconic high-speed trains . But Yasuhiro Higashiyama , NTT DATA Japan ’ s Head of Global Business , Telecom and Utility Sector , believes there are wider implications in leveraging 5G to unlock new use cases across a vast array of B2B environments .
“ In the 5G era , telecoms should transform themselves , not just as a voice and data service provider , but as a solutions provider to the B2B market , from IoT and automated factories , to extended reality healthcare and the burgeoning automated vehicle ecosystem ,” he says .
The All-Photonics Future NTT R & D ’ s major innovation is the all-photonics network , a “ new-generation of computing chips , which will cause lower power consumption than existing technology , and high performance ”, according to Higashiyama .
The all-photonics technology is a complex engineering achievement , and Higashiyama admits
212 April 2022