June 2016 Vol. 14 No. 6

View from the Top

• Yoshihiro Kuroda, Executive Vice President, NTT WEST

  

  Overview
  This is an era of ever-increasing use of the Internet. Enabling stress-free use of the Internet requires much effort, experience, and wisdom, and this is provided by NTT employees who work tirelessly behind the scenes to maintain a rock-solid infrastructure. How should NTT WEST take up the challenge of creating an even friendlier communications environment? We asked Yoshihiro Kuroda, NTT WEST Executive Vice President, about the company’s business strategy and future outlook.

Feature Articles: NTT Group Activities in the Agricultural Field

• The Future Created by NTT Group’s Agriculture × ICT

  

  Abstract
  The Japanese agriculture industry is facing a range of challenges including an aging and shrinking farming population and an increase in the area of abandoned farmland that was formerly under cultivation. Information and communication technology (ICT) is considered to offer promising ways to address these challenges. The NTT Group is tackling such issues in the agricultural field by capitalizing on its ICT capabilities developed through its involvement in telecommunications. This article introduces the NTT Group’s agriculture × ICT strategy.

• Efficient Operation and Management of Agriculture through Visualization of the Production Environment

  

  Abstract
  One of the primary efforts to use information and communication technology (ICT) in the agricultural sector is for visualization of the production environment. Traditional production techniques rely on intuition and experience, but visualization of the data of the production environment and working conditions makes it possible to manage work effectively and to achieve more efficient production management. This is expected to lead to improved quality and increased yield. Production information is being further utilized through increased cooperation with sales and distribution departments and in the areas of environmental control and prediction. This article introduces the system mechanisms and the use cases for information utilization by ICT as part of efforts to realize efficient and stable agricultural management.

• Application of Information and Communication Technology to Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

  

  Abstract
  NTT DOCOMO is poised to revitalize Japanese agriculture by using information and communication technology (ICT) to tackle the industry’s major issues: enhancing productivity and saving labor. This article introduces agriculture and animal husbandry solutions that utilize NTT DOCOMO’s nationwide mobile networks and cover the entire range of data handling, from collection to management and presentation of sensor information. These are the positive outcomes of co-creation efforts with venture companies that have professional expertise and are aggressively applying ICT to agriculture.

• Service to Efficiently Support Direct Farmers’ Markets, which Directly Connect Producers with Consumers

  

  Abstract
  At NTT EAST, we are providing an application service provider (ASP)-type direct farmers’ market system called Sanchoku. Offering this system as an ASP-type service enables us to introduce it to direct farmers’ markets easily and at low cost. It streamlines the tasks of producers and managers at these markets. This article introduces the features of the system and the effects of its introduction.

• Research and Development Activities Related to Agriculture

  

  Abstract
  NTT is undertaking research and development (R&D) on the application of information and communication technology in new business fields including agriculture. This article introduces three agriculture-related R&D activities exhibited at AGRINEXT 2015, which was held October 14−16, 2015 at Makuhari Messe: a farm work recording solution using an intelligent microphone and the VoiceRex speech recognition engine; a cloud-based pallet management system using the 920-MHz band; and laser gas sensing technology using laser light sources that NTT has developed to detect food labeling fraud.

• NTT Group Activities to Support Smart Agriculture

  

  Abstract
  The NTT Group is committed to strengthening the competitiveness of Japanese agriculture and is therefore supporting the implementation of smart agriculture through the use of information and communication technology. This article introduces the exhibits presented by NTT Group companies at AGRINEXT 2015 (held October 14−16, 2015 at Makuhari Messe) as examples of the group’s activities related to the natural environment.

Regular Articles

• Development of Transport Systems for Dedicated Service Provision Using Packet Transport Technologies

  

  Abstract
  To date, NTT has been providing high-quality dedicated services such as analog and high-speed digital services on its time division multiplexing network. NTT has also been shifting its relay networks to packet transport networks in conjunction with the shift to the Next Generation Network. This article introduces a new packet transport multiplexing adapter for dedicated service provisioning on packet transport networks using circuit emulation technologies.

Global Standardization Activities

• Report on ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2015

  

  Abstract
  The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) was held in Geneva, Switzerland in November 2015. This conference is normally held every three or four years to discuss updating the Radio Regulations (RR), a formal document issued by the ITU. The RR is enforced on the ratifying member states as international regulations regarding radiocommunication in the ITU Constitution and Convention. The RR is updated after each WRC, and national regulations such as the Radio Law in Japan are enacted accordingly. This article reports on the results of WRC-15.

External Awards/Papers Published in Technical Journals and Conference Proceedings

• External Awards/Papers Published in Technical Journals and Conference Proceedings