Providing Technology and Services

Our Policy and Approach

R&D

As ICT companies leading the world, the NTT Group recognizes R&D as a material issue that gives Group companies their competitive edge.R&D supports the digital transformation of our customers and lifestyle transformations tailored to individuals, and the R&D department works with operating companies to develop new technologies that provide the wellspring for new value creation in a variety of domains to enhance the NTT Group's R&D, a pillar of our medium-term management strategy.

The NTT Group seeks to overcome numerous problems involving safety, disaster readiness, and the improvement of productivity through R&D and, as a result, strengthen industrial competitiveness and resolve social issues.Since ICT is applied in a variety of fields, we are forging partnerships with counterparts in wide-ranging industries as we pursue our R&D initiatives.

Pursuing Customer Satisfaction

The NTT Group serves various customers, from general consumers to corporate customers, providing a broad range of products and services.
Its main business fields, the telecommunications and ICT industries, continue to innovate, producing new products and services. Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets continue to evolve almost daily, giving rise to a number of new services utilizing the NTT Group's network. At the same time, with the evolution of technology and services, the amount of information needed to use them has increased, and this has also increased opportunities for us to receive various confirmations, inquiries, feedback and requests from customers with regard to device malfunctions and questions about various fees and services.
The NTT Group believes that resolving customers' concerns or questions about the services they use and maintaining a high level of satisfaction for all customers will foster a relationships of trust with customers and lead to the acquisition of new customers.

Service Quality

As a corporate group with the mission of serving society by sustaining telecommunications infrastructure in normal times, the NTT Group is committed to building highly reliable telecommunications networks that connect people anytime, anywhere.To secure necessary communications in the event of a disaster, we are implementing various response measures, including the installation of emergency-use public phones, a mobile phone lending service in affected areas, and providing means to confirm the safety of people in affected areas.We simultaneously install multiple lines to secure connections to the headquarters of the police department, fire department, and coast guard to prepare against the possibility that the 110, 119, and 118 emergency call services may be damaged.

The NTT Group has defined three key themes for disaster countermeasures: securing critical communications, prompt restoration of telecommunications services, and improving network reliability. We have been strengthening efforts based on these themes since the Great East Japan Earthquake.We have also included Disaster Countermeasure Initiatives in our medium-term management strategy and are making a focused effort to further reinforce the communications infrastructure, seek proactive disaster response, and adequately provide information to the affected people.

Organization for Implementation

R&D

Please see the following page:

Pursuing Customer Satisfaction

The NTT Group companies have built a system for making operational improvements that will lead to reductions in the time taken to respond to customers, enhancing products and services, and influencing development based on the voice of customers received through surveys, the Customer Services Center, and other departments. In turn, we work toward developing and providing services closely in tune with the voice of our customers.Specifically, we work continuously to improve our year-over-year results for the KPIs of the reduction in waiting and customer service times at DOCOMO shops, the number of improvements made based on suggestions from customers, and the response rate of our call centers, which will give rise to a positive cycle of improvement.
The NTT Group will keep on making efforts to raise the level of customer satisfaction, including service quality and on-site responsiveness required by customers, in conjunction with the business operations of individual NTT Group companies.

Service Quality

Five Group companies--NTT, NTT East, NTT West, NTT Communications, and NTT DOCOMO--are designated public institutions under the Basic Act on Disaster Control Measures. Accordingly, based on this Act, in preparation for a disaster, the NTT Group has formulated the Disaster Management Operation Plan for the purpose of smooth, appropriate implementation of measures to prevent damage.Each company has prepared their respective Disaster Management Operation Plan by organizing response efforts that are mobilized at the time of a disaster in a manner proportionate to the scope and circumstances of the situation. At the same time, we will maintain close contact with the relevant government institutions to ensure a smooth and appropriate recovery from the disaster and secure critical communications.

Targets and Performance

(9) Customer engagement (NPI, NPS®) ¹
Results for fiscal 2023:
NPI: 0.736 (NTT Group-wide)
NPS: -26.2 (NTT Group-wide)
Target for fiscal 2024
NPI: 0.736 or higher (NTT Group-wide)
NPS: -26.2 or higher (NTT Group-wide)

¹NPI: Next Purchase Intention
NPS®: Net Promoter Score® Net Promoter Score and NPS are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Fred Reichheld, and Satmetrix Systems, Inc. (now NICE Systems, Inc.).

(11-1) Number of major incidents
Results for fiscal 2023: 4 incidents
Target for fiscal 2024: 0 incidents

(11-2) Number of civil life support system incidents
Target for fiscal 2024: 0 incidents

Main Initiatives

Enhancement and Globalization of R&D

The NTT Group is advancing innovative research and development that drives change worldwide while stepping up basic research at overseas centers.Specifically, we will use the research centers established overseas to strengthen joint research with a varied range of research bodies, actively utilize the latest external technologies, and increase investment in research on new growth fields.
We will also promote the global rollout of R&D results and globalization of research targets.More specifically, in July 2019 we opened NTT Research, Inc., which operates three research laboratories, in Silicon Valley in the United States for the purpose of reinforcing fundamental research.We have launched a collaboration with universities and research institutes in the United States and Europe in the fields of quantum computational science, medical/health/healthcare, and basic cryptography/blockchain.We will further globalize our research and development by opening research centers in areas around the world, starting with Silicon Valley.

Promoting Other Cutting-Edge Research

6G experimental trials with world-leading vendors

NTT DOCOMO and NTT agreed to collaborate with world-leading vendors Fujitsu, NEC, and Nokia to conduct experimental trials for sixth generation mobile communications technology (6G) with the view of launching commercial 6G services by around 2030.Research and development of 6G systems is advancing as the technology capable of expanding communication coverage in the sky, at sea and in space, and enabling both ultra-low-power consumption and low-cost communications.Indoor trials will begin within fiscal 2022, with outdoor trials slated to begin from fiscal 2023 and after.NTT will continue working with these world-leading vendors to conduct experimental trials, with each company moving forward with other major vendors in developing initiatives that build on their individual expertise.This will help to accelerate research and development of 6G, and contribute to faster global standardization and commercialization of 6G.

High-precision Detection of Rust in Social Infrastructure Facilities using Image Recognition AI

NTT successfully developed an image recognition AI that detects rust in various social infrastructure facilities with a high level of accuracy.The image recognition AI can distinguish multiple types of infrastructure facilities from images of roadside facilities taken by NTT's Mobile Mapping System (MMS) to detect rust that has formed on those facilities (roadside facilities and utility pole-mounted facilities), with a detection accuracy of 97.5%.The image recognition AI can identify and inspect in one run multiple infrastructure facilities in images captured simultaneously by MMS, which reduces operational costs as it allows consolidation of separate field inspections that had been performed by each infrastructure manager.Uniform inspection quality can also be achieved because the image recognition AI uses uniform standards that eliminates the variations in detection results between individual inspectors.Further improvements made to AI in the future will provide added value for social infrastructure maintenance management work and help achieve a smart society.

Initiatives for Universal Design²

The NTT Group actively encourages the broader adoption of universal design, which ensures that products and services are easy for all customers to use, regardless of age, gender or physical abilities.

²Products and services that can be used by senior citizens, children, persons with disabilities, and foreign visitors facing language barriers (includes expanded functions)

Establishment of the NTT Group Web Accessibility Policy

The NTT Group is working to ensure and improve the accessibility of its websites for a wide spectrum of customers, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities.Specifically, the Group established the NTT Group Web Accessibility Policy. The policy for official websites of the Group companies with head office functions in Japan is set according to JIS X 8341- 3:2016³ and each works to comply⁴ with Level AA.

³JIS X 8341-3:2016: "Guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities--information and telecommunications equipment, software and services-- Part 3: Web content" of Japanese Industrial Standards

⁴Refers to compliance with the description defined in the "Compliance Performance Announcement Guidelines for JIS X 8341-3:2016.March 2016 Edition (published on March 22, 2016)" of the Web Accessibility Infrastructure Committee, Info-communication Access Council.This means that we have established and disclosed an accessibility policy and confirmed that the pages fulfilled all the requirements through the tests implemented and based on JIS X 8341-3:2016.

User-Friendly Service Lineup

We offer a broad range of discount services for various users, including senior citizens and persons with special needs, to facilitate access to ICT services.

Special discounts on dedicated lines for educational facilities (NTT East and NTT West)

Since January 2001, NTT East and NTT West have offered special fees for schools on FLET'S services suitable for using the Internet at a fixed sum in an effort to promote educational use of the Internet.

• NTT EAST (Japanese only)
• NTT West (Japanese only)

Discounts on mobile phone use for persons with special needs (NTT DOCOMO)

NTT DOCOMO offers the Hearty Discount programs for encouraging more social participation by persons with disabilities.

Policies and Concepts to Pursue Customer Satisfaction

Customer Contact Points

Each Group company has set up a call center that responds to customer inquiries on products and services, requests for repairs, and complaints.Major call centers of the NTT Group receive over 180,000 calls each day and endeavor to respond promptly to customers.Each call center has set its own targets aimed at improving response rates and enhancing the quality of responses and support. They also engage in various efforts including telephone response competitions and training to enhance skills for providing better responses.

Reflecting the Voice of Customers

The NTT Group listens to the voice of its customers, including their opinions and requests, through its call centers. Each Group company has constructed a system for reflecting the voice of customers in making operational upgrades and improving and developing products and services, and they are making an active effort in related activities as well.

For example, NTT Communications collects the voice of customers through various contact points in an effort to reinforce initiatives for enhancing services and improving operational processes. This includes not only annual surveys, but also soliciting customer feedback at the time of application and during various support processes.

For more information on these initiatives, please refer to each company's website, Sustainability Report, and other materials.

• NTT East
  "Service with a Smile" activities (Japanese only)
• NTT West
  "Customers First" activities (Japanese only)
• NTT Communications
  "For Increased Customer Satisfaction" (Japanese only)
• NTT DOCOMO
  "Initiatives That Utilize Feedback from Customers" (Japanese only)

Ensuring the stability and reliability of services

We are also taking measures in normal times to improve the reliability of our telecommunications infrastructure. To ensure that our telecommunications services operate without interruption at all times, we employ transmission trunk line multi-routing, have enacted blackout countermeasures for telecommunications buildings and base stations, and are making telecommunications buildings more quakeproof. In addition, we are expanding the assortment of power supply vehicles and other disaster response equipment that we have positioned throughout Japan and are repeatedly conducting training to prepare for major natural disasters. We are making a daily effort to secure the necessary emergency and critical communications.

Securing Critical Communications

• Free charge public phone policy for areas covered by NTT East (Japanese only)
• Free charge public phone policy for areas covered by NTT West (Japanese only)

Providing Services for Easy Safety Status Checking and Information Gathering When Disaster Strikes

The NTT Group launches and provides the following services to enable people to confirm the safety of relatives and friends in areas hit by a major disaster that has disrupted phone connections.

When we launch these emergency services in the event of a disaster or other contingency, we promptly inform our customers through the mass media, website, and other means.

By integrating the Web 171 Disaster Message Board with the Disaster Message Board Service for mobile and PHS phones (i-mode/sp-mode), we have also made it possible to conduct one-stop searches spanning both services from the companies providing those services. There are additional functions for notifying designated contacts by e-mail or voice when safety status information is posted.

We are continuing to make improvements, such as by offering support in English, Chinese, and Korean for the Web 171 Disaster Message Board, and in English for the Disaster Message Board Service (i-mode/spmode), increasing the number of messages that can be posted and extending message storage time.

With regard to the Web 171 Disaster Message Board, NTT East, and NTT West agreed to collaborate with the disaster message boards operated by NTT DOCOMO, KDDI, and SoftBank to allow users to check each other's messages left with these carriers since August 2019.

Main Services

Securing the Stability and Reliability of Telecommunications Services

Damage from natural disasters is becoming increasingly common in recent years as climate change causes more frequent instances of heavy rains, frequent typhoons, and other natural disasters. As a result, there is a growing risk of water and lightning damage and power outages, which now threaten to cause extensive damage should they occur.

The NTT Group is devoted to early restoration of telecommunications services by deploying and enhancing the functions of mobile power supply vehicles, portable satellite equipment, and other mobile equipment as well as participating in disaster drills held in the respective regions.The NTT Group endeavors to build disaster-resistant communications infrastructure and maintain and operate it in a way that ensures its proper functioning at all times by conducting regular safety patrols, replacing devices as a preventive maintenance measure, and other such means, in an effort to develop disaster-resilient communication networks and equipment.

Ensuring the Disaster Resistance of Telecommunications Equipment

We also strive to enable telecommunications equipment housings, pylons, and other facilities to withstand contingencies such as earthquakes, storms, flooding, fire, and power outages in accordance with predetermined design standards.

Main Measures

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Increasing the Resilience of Equipment and Speeding Up Our Response

Providing Stable Telecommunications Services in Normal Times

To consistently provide secure telecommunications services to our users, the NTT Group operates a system for monitoring its telecommunications networks, implements measures for preventing accidents and failures, and works to enhance the skills of personnel responsible for network maintenance and operations.

Operation of mobile phone base stations and terminals (NTT DOCOMO)

For more than 60 years, research has been conducted worldwide on the impact of radio waves on the human body. As a result, standards and systems have been put in place for the safe use of radio waves not only in Japan, but around the world, too.

In 1990, Japan's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (presently the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) established its own Radio Radiation Protection Guidelines for Human Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (RRPG) as a set of reference values for the safety of radio waves on the human body based on the results of research conducted over the preceding 40 years both inside and outside Japan.The reference values of these guidelines are the same as those recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Radio waves below these reference values are recognized internationally as having no adverse effects on health.

Mobile base stat ions and terminals of NTT DOCOMO are operated at levels lower than the reference values of the RRPG.Services are provided in compliance with related laws and ordinances incorporating the RRPG, which ensures DOCOMO mobile phones can be safely used.

Social Contribution Coordination Agreement with KDDI

On September 11, 2020, NTT formed a social contribution coordination agreement with KDDI to begin mutual cooperation the for joint utilization of ships transporting necessary supplies in the event of largescale disasters, as well as joint disaster preparedness drills and awareness-raising activities. Building resilient social infrastructure through these initiatives has the goal of developing a sustainable society.In addition to disaster countermeasures and job assistance, NTT and KDDI will coordinate efforts to identify areas that can benefit from the mutual use of assets of both companies, such as the sound use of smartphones and addressing climate change.

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Countermeasures for Earthquakes, Fires, and Floods

NTT's communications buildings and towers are designed to be sufficiently earthquake-resistant to avoid collapse even in the event of an earthquake with a seismic intensity of 7, and were built to our own strict standards to be able to withstand the worst disasters Japan has ever experienced.

For fires, communications buildings and other buildings were made noncombustible and fireproof, fireproof shutters and doors were installed in communication machinery rooms, and fireproof sealing was applied to through holes.

To prepare for tsunamis and floods, we have taken location-appropriate measures to prevent communications buildings from being flooded, such as replacing building doors with flood doors, closing windows and other openings, and reinforcing walls with concrete to withstand the water pressure from a tsunami.

Blackout Countermeasures at Communications Buildings and Base Stations

Communications buildings and wireless communications base stations are equipped with batteries, engines, and other auxiliary power supplies that can be used as a prolonged source of electricity in the event of a blackout.

Moreover, we are enacting the lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake by implementing blackout countermeasures for engine generators and having batteries available for use around the clock at its roughly 1,900 base stations in important areas, such as those where municipal disaster response headquarters or city offices are located.

In addition, mobile power supply vehicles and portable power generators are deployed in each area as backup to provide support over a wide area to disaster-stricken regions as the situation requires.

Transmission Trunk Line Multi-Routing and Distributed Location of Important Communications Buildings

Our nationwide network of trunk lines has been designed to secure communications and prevent disruption of services over the network as a whole by automatically diverting transmission through other routes when a certain route is damaged.Meanwhile, if communications buildings (important communications buildings) fitted with transit switches suffer disaster damage, communications via such buildings may be severed. Distributing important communications buildings in different locations helps avoid the risk of multiple buildings suffering disaster damage at the same time.

Prompt restoration of telecommunications services

Should a disaster strike, swift action will be taken to restore service via the utilization of mobile disaster response equipment and the use of drones to confirm the situation.

Disaster Response Equipment

NTT has positioned mobile base stations and power supply vehicles across Japan that can be quickly deployed to disaster sites should a wireless communications base station be damaged by a disaster.Moreover, we have adopted off-shore base stations comprised of mobile communications base stations mounted on ships. Should a tsunami or other disaster knock out service over a wide spread of coastal area, we can provide service by using entrance satellite lines to transmit signals to the coastal areas from anchored ships.

Disaster Site Confirmation with Drones

When damage to roads or other conditions prevent us from reaching base stations, drones will be deployed to confirm the status of the site and facilitate the quick restoration of service thereafter.

Initiatives for Maintaining Stable Telecommunications Services

Real-time Network Monitoring and Control

The nationwide communications network monitors and controls operational status in real time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and responds immediately to breakdowns and disasters.

To respond immediately to emergencies and other contingencies, the monitoring system is reinforced as required in response to social conditions.

Improved Response to Disasters and Major Failures

To enable prompt and appropriate recovery measures in the event of a disaster or unexpected equipment failure, training and drills are conducted as required to train the personnel involved in network maintenance and operation.

Further, lessons gleaned from past disaster responses are deployed across the organization to implement measures to prevent recurrences, review action procedures, and ensure that basic operations are thoroughly implemented.