NTT Announces Technology Collaboration Targeted at Next Generation Communications Infrastructure for Innovative Optical & Wireless Network

Tokyo - May 14, 2020 - NTT CORPORATION (NTT) today announced a joint research agreement with Intel Corporation (Intel) to define and create future communications infrastructure "IOWN*1" technologies that go beyond the limits of conventional technologies, including targeting a drastic reduction of power consumption. Through this agreement, NTT and Intel will engage in research and other activities aimed at developing technologies to process the explosive volume of data required to realize a smart and connected world.

The agreement represents a collaboration in research and development and leverages NTT's industry-leading photonics, digital signal processing, computing and network infrastructure management technologies as well as Intel's deep technology portfolio, support structure, and hardware and software expertise.

1. Overview of Collaboration Themes

Area 1. Photonics-Electronics Convergence for Interconnect Technologies

Photonics technology will be used not only for long-distance signal transmission, but also for signal processing in compute solutions, in conjunction with electronic circuits, to realize a new computing base through integration of photonics with electronics.

Area 2. The Future of Distributed Computing

Develop an architecture for a computing infrastructure that spans across device, edge, and cloud, leveraging future high-capacity and low-latency networks, and can efficiently process a large amount of real-time data from the physical world.

Area 3. Open and Distributed Framework

Develop an open software framework that allows service providers to build and operate AI computing infrastructure taking advantage of the rapid evolution of AI computing devices.

2. Future Plans

Leveraging the outcome of this collaborative agreement, NTT and Intel will start creating proof-of-concepts within the year, giving users the ability to experience Smart World applications, including Smart Mobility, Smart Industry, and Smart Area Management. The aim of the two companies is to accelerate the creation of Smart World and next generation distributed computing solutions.

In addition, this joint research will lead to the adoption of a new communication infrastructure that meets future data and computing requirements by integrating innovations such as Photonics-Electronics Convergence Technology, distributed computing, as well as contributing to industry solutions available through such forums as the IOWN Global Forum*2 established by NTT, Intel, and Sony.

Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.

About NTT

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