Chunghwa Telecom and NTT have come together to revolutionize connectivity with their Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) technology. The two companies recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance the evolution and implementation of this cutting-edge technology. They made history by launching the world’s first international connection using IOWN All-Photonics Network (APN), successfully linking Taipei and Tokyo on August 29, 2024. This milestone was showcased at the prestigious NTT R&D Forum 2024, where Chih-Hsiung Huang, CTO & SEVP of Chunghwa Telecom, attended to strengthen technical cooperation and friendship between the two companies.
One of the most exciting applications of this new technology is an ultra-low-latency interactive immersive video show that allows users in Taiwan and Japan to join a virtual space to watch VR performances and interact with each other. Thanks to the high bandwidth and low latency of IOWN APN technology, cloud-rendered high-quality VR images can be streamed, significantly improving user experience and reducing VR-induced sickness. This innovation has the potential to transform consumer virtual exhibitions and remote industrial operations, opening up a world of possibilities for both industries.
Chunghwa Telecom is committed to advancing next-generation ICT technologies to enhance communication and computing performance while promoting energy conservation, carbon reduction, and sustainable development. The launch of the international APN connection marks a significant milestone in providing high-bandwidth, low-latency transmission benefits for innovative application services and supporting distributed cross-cloud computing. The company will continue to collaborate with partners to further implement IOWN technology, offering enhanced services to customers and creating a smarter, more sustainable living environment.
Similarly, NTT is thrilled to showcase the real-time virtual space interaction between Japan and Taiwan using the international APN connection. At the NTT R&D Forum 2024, they also demonstrated an ultra-high-speed data replication system that minimizes disaster recovery time and remote media production that enables flexible resource allocations. These demonstrations highlight the business value of IOWN APN connection, showcasing its low-latency, low-jitter, and energy-efficient capabilities. NTT remains committed to collaborating with partners, including IOWN Global Forum members, to develop IOWN technologies, use cases, and services globally for a sustainable world.
