Strategies
R&D for a Rapid Response to Business Requirements
Hisao Nakayama
General Manager of Research and Development Center,
Network Business Headquarters, NTT East
The R&D Center cooperates with the design, construction, and maintenance divisions providing network services by conducting research and development of telephone and IP networks, including accessnetworks, and related operations systems. We analyze the latest technology, business needs, and trends
among competitors and then perform R&D to meetuser demands in a timely manner. We support NTT
branches and offices in introducing the systems andtechnologies developed at the Center and provide
technical support to maintenance and operation divisions. Furthermore, we train engineers as part ofongoing development operations and send them backto NTT Corporation and other Group companies toraise the technical capabilities of the NTT Group as awhole.
Prevailing environment and recent R&D trends
In Japan, other companies besides NTT have also
begun full-scale development of optical fiber services, and the competition for customers has become
extremely intense. Therefore, the R&D Center must
develop services and systems that will promote theimplementation of optical fiber services, including IPphones. We have begun to provide IP phone service
for corporate customers as a starting point and“Hikari Phone” for apartment buildings and individual homes. To further expand these services in thefuture, we will conduct R&D activities aimed atincreasing quality and providing added services on
the level of fixed phones.
We are developing a Gbit/s-class optical fiber
access system to further increase access speeds. To
reduce costs, we are working to establish easy-to-use
optical cable technologies and improving closuresthat accommodate fiber splicing points and othercomponents to increase the utilization of optical service subscriber lines and ease of installation.
Although the shift from fixed phones to mobilephones and IP phones has accelerated recently, anoverwhelming number of customers still use fixedphones. Since NTT has a responsibility to provide
universal services, we believe it is also important to
conduct R&D aimed at maintaining fixed phonefacilities. The communication systems that provide
fixed phone services are gradually aging, as are therelated operations systems, so immediate measures
must be implemented to maintain them.
From the perspective of risk management in a trusted company, the NTT Group feels that R&D to prevent information leaks and damage from large-scaledisasters is an important theme for providing its customers with safe, secure telecommunications services. As part of the security measures to prevent
leaks of customer information, we are conducting
R&D related to secure management systems for customer information on the network using the latest insecurity technologies, including biometrics.
Strengthening ties inside and outside the company
When promoting R&D that contributes to business,
it is important to ensure strong ties with the variousoffices and divisions responsible for that business.
We are working to strengthen these ties in various
forms, for example, by listening to the opinions ofpeople in the equipment design, construction, maintenance, and operations divisions from the earlystages of service development. There is no doubt thatNTT East is facing harsh conditions in terms of themanagement environment and competition with othercompanies. We will continue to meet these challenges with a determined but positive approach, confident that NTT East will be the leader in opening up
a new broadband era.