Developing New Technology to Pave the Way to the Future of Broadband
Image: a future where all-photonics networks are being adopted
All-Photonics Network for High-Speed, High-Capacity, Low-Latency, and Low-Power Consumption
Next-generation communications infrastructure IOWN™ Concept
The Information Network R&D Center is the base for research and development of broadband networks. The primary theme in the optical systems domain is a next-generation network infrastructure initiative, the IOWNTM Concept. IOWN is the acronym for Innovative Optical and Wireless Network, aiming to realize innovative solutions in optical and wireless technologies. An international forum (IOWN Global Forum) was formed by major telecommunications carriers, electronics manufacturers, and IT companies, and Sumitomo Electric participated early on and has been playing a leading role in the forum. The core of the IOWNTM Concept is the realization of an All-Photonics Network (APN). This is a communications network that is connected entirely by optical signals, rather than conventional electrical signals. Kazutaka Kawamoto, General Manager of the Information Network R&D Center, who has been involved in communications systems for over 20 years, pointed out the following:
“The advantages of the APN are power saving, high capacity, and low latency. Compared to conventional technology, it achieves 100 times greater power efficiency, 125 times greater transmission capacity, and 1/200th the delay between transmission and reception. The APN is expected to promote the resolution of social issues and the creation of new and innovative services and businesses, dramatically improving the safety, convenience, and comfort of our lives.”
Towards more realistic virtual reality
To realize an APN, the Information Network R&D Center is researching and developing optical modules, including APN transceivers and APN terminal devices, which send and receive optical signals. The APN transceivers will not only reduce the number of network devices by extending the optical transmission distance but also achieve power savings by integrating functions, such as remote control previously performed by rack-mounted devices into the compact transceivers. The APN terminal devices will seamlessly connect existing communications equipment to APN networks, enabling to convert entire networks to optical technologies.
“The APN will realize an ultra-low-power-consumption, ultra-high-capacity, and ultra-low-latency network infrastructure, which will, for example, make the metaverse (virtual space) more realistic and in the future enable the use of real haptics (tactile and force transmission), holograms, and other technologies. By connecting people with each other and people with the world and everything else across time and space, it will be possible to create a safe, secure, and comfortable society. To achieve this, I believe it is necessary for our research departments to continue striving to develop innovative technologies,” said Kawamoto.
IOWN Global Forum
The IOWN Global Forum was established in 2020 as a private sector organization to develop IOWN technologies and use cases. As of October 2024, it is comprised of approximately 160 organizations. The objective of the IOWN Global Forum is to accelerate innovation and adoption of a new communication infrastructure to meet our future data and computing requirements through the development of new technologies, frameworks, specifications, and reference designs in areas such as photonics R&D, distributed computing, use cases, and best practices.
IOWN™ is a trademark or registered trademark of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation.
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