During Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona, NTT Corporation, NTT DOCOMO, and Nokia collaborated to showcase advanced 6G-enabling technologies at the Nokia booth. The spotlight was on NTT’s Inclusive Core Architecture and the In-network Service Acceleration Platform (ISAP), designed to improve data processing efficiency for cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and immersive reality.
Boosting AI Performance with In-Network Computing
The demonstration highlighted the use of ISAP in AI analysis during real-time video data transfer. Under traditional architectures, AI accuracy stood at 57%. However, integrating ISAP into the Inclusive Core Architecture significantly raised this accuracy to 90%. This enhancement showcases the potential of in-network computing (INC) in optimizing AI performance by offloading some processing tasks to the network layer, reducing data exchange delays and boosting efficiency.
ISAP plays a crucial role in NTT’s Inclusive Core Architecture, merging computing and networking capabilities essential for the 6G and IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network) era. By accelerating in-network information processing, ISAP enables advanced AI-integrated communication services even with limited terminal resources.
Addressing Telecommunications Challenges
The telecommunications industry faces mounting pressure to upgrade networks to meet the demands of AI, IoT, robotics, and automation. Existing infrastructures risk obsolescence due to the need for ultra-high capacity, ultra-low latency, and low power consumption. NTT and Nokia’s collaboration focuses on developing next-gen networking solutions to address these challenges.
The IOWN Vision: A Glimpse into the Future
NTT’s IOWN initiative, backed by industry giants like Sony, Intel, Nokia, Google, Nvidia, and Microsoft, envisions a shift to optical-photonic-based network architecture by 2030. IOWN aims to revolutionize network infrastructure using optical-photonics technology, with goals including a 100x reduction in power consumption, 125x increase in transmission capacity, and 200x lower latency. Key components like the All-Photonics Network, Digital Twin Computing, and Cognitive Foundation support high capacity, low-latency, and intelligent resource management for applications such as 6G, AI, IoT, and smart cities.
The Inclusive Core Architecture, integrated into the IOWN vision, combines the All-Photonics Network, Digital Twin Computing, and Cognitive Foundation to provide end-to-end network services supporting various AI-driven applications and Cyber-Physical Systems.
In-Network Computing: A Foundation for 6G
NTT’s 6G strategy revolves around in-network computing (INC) to reduce latency and power consumption by shifting processing functions to the network’s data transfer functions. This approach is vital for meeting the high data rates and low latency demands of 6G use cases like AI, ML, and advanced sensing technologies.
ISAP, as an INC-enabling technology, facilitates seamless information processing between terminals and cloud services, ensuring advanced services can be delivered regardless of terminal specifications or access environments.
Standardization and Collaboration Efforts
NTT and DOCOMO continue INC research to advance computing services in the 6G era, aiming to expand partnerships with industry stakeholders. Collaboration with Nokia seeks to promote international standardization of 6G architecture under 3GPP from 2025 onwards.
Standardization is crucial for integrating INC and ISAP into future mobile networks globally, accelerating 6G technology deployment and ensuring cross-platform compatibility.
The Future of 6G and IOWN
The successful MWC 2025 demonstration underscores the potential of Inclusive Core Architecture and ISAP in addressing next-gen data processing challenges. As the telecom industry moves towards the 6G era, the integration of INC and optical-photonic technologies will be pivotal.
NTT’s IOWN initiative, with its ambitious efficiency and capacity goals, signifies a significant leap in network evolution that could reshape data processing for AI, automation, and IoT applications.
For more information on NTT’s R&D efforts in next-gen networking infrastructure, refer to the whitepaper “Inclusive Core: Integrative and Cooperative Network Architecture for the 6G/IOWN Era” and the webpage “IOWN: the new technology that leads to a better future.”
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