Chunghwa Telecom and NTT activate the world’s first International IOWN APN between Taiwan and Japan. Take only 17 msec in 3,000 km with an ultra-low latency network

Taipei –Aug. 29, 2024 – Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. (Chunghwa Telecom) and NTT Corporation (NTT) today activated the International IOWN APN between Taiwan and Japan based on the basic agreement signed on Oct 25, 2023. This International IOWN APN connected between Chunghwa Telecom Headquarters in Taipei City and Musashino R&D Center in Japan Musashino city and achieved low latency, no jitter, and stable communication with approximately 17 msec on an approximately 3,000 km one-way network.

1. Background

As the agreement, based on Chunghwa Telecom and NTT 's strengths in optical and wireless transmission technologies, as well as both companies' achievements in implementing these technologies in society, we activated the International IOWN APN by utilizing All-Photonics Network technology between Taiwan and Japan today.

2. The International IOWN APN

To launch the International IOWN APN, CHT connected between Chunghwa Telecom Headquarter and the landing station in Japan via a landing station in Taiwan, and NTT connected between NTT Musashino R&D Center and a landing station in Japan. Then, both CHT and NTT connected with each other and confirmed the completion of the connection with stable communication. 

This International IOWN APN connect Taiwan and Japan with 100 Gbps bandwidth of optical path. As a result of the measurements, the 100 Gbps line takes 33.84 msec as round-trip time (RTT). The network architecture and equipment of the International IOWN APN supports for OAA, Open All-Photonic Network Functional Architecture, which is published by IOWN Global Forum, and the various devices are interconnected.

3. Outlook

With the bilateral cooperation, Chunghwa Telecom will apply this international APN to demonstrate low-latency interactive immersive entertainment in NTT R&D Forum 2024. NTT will provide data backup and replication services for disaster countermeasures to realize Smart Factory, and LLM (e.g., tsuzumi), etc., mainly for semiconductor and other manufacturing industries based in Taiwan and Japan.

4. Endorsement comments

Shui-Yi Kuo, Chairman & CEO, Chunghwa Telecom

As Taiwan's leading telecommunications company, Chunghwa Telecom is pleased to promote the IOWN cooperation with NTT, Japan's leading telecommunications company. This groundbreaking achievement of the world’s first international IOWN APN showcases our commitment to develop IOWN innovative technologies. Together, we are shaping the future of global connectivity and contributing to the prosperity and development of society.

Akira Shimada, President & CEO, NTT Corporation

I am glad and grateful to announce the world’s first international IOWN APN connection between Japan and Taiwan through international cooperation of NTT and CHT. I believe this connection could accelerate Japan-Taiwan industrial collaborations. With diverse global service providers and vendors, NTT and CHT will develop and provide IOWN services worldwide.

< Reference >

[1] What is the IOWN initiative? https://www.rd.ntt/e/iown/

[2] What is the All-Photonics Network? https://www.rd.ntt/e/iown/0002.html

[3] What is the IOWN Global Forum? https://iowngf.org/

[4] The result of measurements of latency and jitter