Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. (Chunghwa Telecom) and NTT Corporation (NTT) have successfully activated the world’s first International IOWN APN, connecting Taiwan and Japan. This new network, established under a basic agreement signed on October 25, 2023, links Chunghwa Telecom’s headquarters in Taipei City with NTT’s Musashino R&D Center in Japan. It offers ultra-low latency of approximately 17 milliseconds over a 3,000 km one-way route, with no jitter and stable communication.
Background
The International IOWN APN leverages Chunghwa Telecom and NTT’s expertise in optical and wireless transmission technologies. Both companies have utilized their advancements in these fields to deploy the All-Photonics Network technology between Taiwan and Japan.
The International IOWN APN
To establish the International IOWN APN, Chunghwa Telecom connected its headquarters with a landing station in Taiwan, while NTT connected its Musashino R&D Center with a landing station in Japan. The two networks were then linked, resulting in stable communication. The APN features a 100 Gbps optical path, with a round-trip time (RTT) of 33.84 milliseconds. The network architecture adheres to the OAA (Open All-Photonics Network Functional Architecture) standards set by the IOWN Global Forum.
Outlook
Chunghwa Telecom plans to use this international APN to showcase low-latency interactive immersive entertainment at the NTT R&D Forum 2024. NTT will utilize the connection for data backup and replication services, supporting disaster recovery and smart factory initiatives, particularly for the semiconductor and manufacturing industries in Taiwan and Japan.
Endorsement Comments
Shui-Yi Kuo, Chairman & CEO, Chunghwa Telecom:
“As Taiwan’s leading telecommunications provider, Chunghwa Telecom is proud to advance IOWN technology in collaboration with NTT, Japan’s premier telecom company. This pioneering achievement of the world’s first international IOWN APN highlights our dedication to developing innovative technologies and enhancing global connectivity.”
Akira Shimada, President & CEO, NTT Corporation:
“I am thrilled to announce the activation of the world’s first international IOWN APN between Japan and Taiwan. This collaboration between NTT and Chunghwa Telecom promises to boost industrial partnerships between our countries. We look forward to expanding IOWN services worldwide with our global network of service providers and vendors.”
