Announcement of Contract Award for Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Research Project on Feasibility and Challenges of Deploying Open All-Photonics Networks in the Markets of Five Key Global Regions

Purpose of research is to validate global markets to expand Japan’s optical communication technologies overseas

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ACCESS CO., LTD. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kiyo Oishi; hereinafter “ACCESS”) today announced that it has been awarded a contract from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) for a research project entitled “Feasibility and Challenges of Deploying Open All-Photonics Networks in the Markets of Five Key Regions (Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and Africa)”.

ACCESS will conduct the project in collaboration with its U.S. subsidiary IP Infusion (Headquarters: Santa Clara, California), a global leader in open networking solutions. The project will leverage IP Infusion’s expertise in optical communication technologies and open network operating systems, as well as its strong relationships with telecom operators worldwide.

Japan possesses world-class optical technologies for an all-photonics network, enabling high-speed, low-power consumption, high-quality, large-capacity, and low-latency communication infrastructure required for next-generation networks. Development of products related to an all-photonics network is already underway. By leveraging these technologies as a core strength in the global market for telecommunication appliances and software, Japan can make significant contributions and demonstrate its presence worldwide, an endeavor crucial for the Japanese telecommunications industry.

Among these industry contributions are optical transceivers that can be directly installed in IP routers, which are the core element of all-photonics networks, enabling significant reductions in both capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operating expenditures (OPEX) for optical network deployment and acceleration. At present, appliances, transceivers, and subsequent maintenance are often provided as a bundled package by a single vendor, creating vendor lock-in that acts as a barrier to market entry.

To address this challenge, it is essential to promote the adoption of a network OS that will enable open networking,* thereby advancing multi-vendor optical transceivers, building an environment where hardware, OS, and transceivers can be freely combined, and eliminating vendor lock-in. This will diversify the supply chain and foster an open ecosystem that lowers barriers to entry for the telecommunications industry, both in Japan and abroad.

In this study, ACCESS and IP Infusion will verify through local deployment trials whether an open all-photonics network can meet the functional and performance requirements necessary to create market entry opportunities and address customer challenges in the global marketplace, as well as identify the criteria for adoption and potential challenges. By compiling market research and verification results into reports that include the different characteristics of each region, this study will contribute to the formulation of future global strategies for Japan’s telecommunications industry.

ACCESS and IP Infusion will contribute to the global deployment of Japan’s all-photonics networks through this study.

* “Open networking” is open specifications and functions of the disaggregated hardware and software that build a network, enabling the freedom of multi-vendor equipment, choice of services, and interoperability.

About ACCESS

Since 1984, ACCESS CO., LTD. (Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market, Index, 4813) has been providing advanced IT solutions centered on mobile and network software technologies to telecom carriers, consumer electronics manufacturers, broadcasting, the automotive industry, and energy infrastructure providers around the world. The company develops mobile software solutions that have been installed on over 1.5 billion devices, and network software solutions that have been used by hundreds of companies. Utilizing its network virtualization technology expertise and knowledge, the company is currently focusing on the development and commercialization of Internet of Things (IoT) and media solutions that combine embedded and cloud technology. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, the company maintains subsidiaries and affiliates in Asia, Europe, and the United States to support and expand its business globally. For more information, visit www.access-company.com.

About IP Infusion

IP Infusion develops open network software solutions for carriers, service providers, and data centers. With hundreds of customers and thousands of deployments, IP Infusion leads the market in Network Operating Systems. Its flagship platform, OcNOS®, empowers network operators to disaggregate their networks, streamline operations, and reduce total cost of ownership (TCO). Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., IP Infusion is a wholly owned subsidiary of ACCESS CO., LTD. For more information, visit www.IPInfusion.com.