NTT DoCoMo Leads Enterprise-Focused 5G Group

Japanese telecom giant NTT DoCoMo is headlining a new enterprise-focused 5G group targeted at providing a unified deployment and marketing package for private 5G networks across the Asia-Pacific region. Japanese telecom giant NTT DoCoMo is headlining a new enterprise-focused 5G group targeted at providing a unified deployment and marketing package for private 5G networks across the Asia-Pacific region. The 5G Global Enterprise solution Consortium (5GEC) states that its mission is in “coordinating each member’s strength such as advantages in network technologies or sales and marketing networks” to provide enterprises with “professional consultation regarding 5G solutions” and a specific focus on private 5G networks. It’s kicking off those efforts in Thailand later this year with planned commercial services starting in 2022. Group members include a number of NTT businesses as well as Activio, AGC, Advanced Wireless Network, Exeo Asia, Fujitsu, and NEC. DoCoMo’s lead will include the use of its open radio access network (O-RAN) technology designed for the planned private 5G networks. The move follows on what has been DoCoMo’s growing international focus. The carrier late last year linked its Open Innovation Cloud platform to international 5G networks using a dedicated network to help facilitate the use of cloud services across those borders. This move was based on its 5G X-Border Platform and allows “customers to use cloud services with confidence in secure cross-border environments.” The initial service was DoCoMo’s AceReal platform that was deployed with Thailand-based operator Advanced Info Services. That platform is part of NTT DoCoMo’s Open Innovation Cloud and provides technical support for workers in the field. In this case, those workers in Thailand can receive instructions from the support people in Japan using augmented reality (AR) smart glasses that are connected to the 5G network. The Open Innovation Cloud was also part of a proof-of-concept (PoC) early last year with MobiledgeX to use multi-access edge computing (MEC) to distribute 5G applications around the world. It used a “markerless” AR application base that was distributed to the MEC platform, the Open Innovation Cloud, and connected to the operator’s 5G and LTE networks in Japan.