IOWN: Transforming Communication and Energy with Next-Generation Technology

The Growing Need for Energy-Efficient, Low-Latency Communication
The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) has dramatically increased global energy consumption, intensifying the demand for technologies that deliver both energy efficiency and low latency. Japan’s telecommunications giant, NTT, is spearheading the development of the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN), a next-generation communication infrastructure designed to achieve ultra-fast, low-energy data transmission. Among its ambitious goals is a future where smartphones require charging only once a year, promising transformative advancements in global communication and energy management.

At the heart of IOWN lies “optical-electrical convergence”, which eliminates the frequent optical-to-electrical conversions in traditional communication systems. By transmitting data entirely as optical signals from sender to receiver, IOWN reduces latency to 1/200th of conventional methods, dramatically lowering energy consumption while overcoming current network speed limitations.

Global Breakthrough: Real-Time Cross-Border Remote Control
NTT recently showcased IOWN’s capabilities at an exhibition in Musashino City, Tokyo, where it conducted a groundbreaking real-time cross-border remote control…