Advancement of optical networks set to progress with two significant leaps
In the world of technology, the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) is making significant strides towards becoming a reality. This groundbreaking initiative, led primarily by NTT and its partners, aims to revolutionise global communications by creating an all-photonics network (APN) for ultra-high-speed, high-capacity internet services [1][3].
The IOWN Global Forum, a consortium of over 160 organisations including tech giants like Ericsson, Nokia, Sony, Ciena, Intel, Nvidia, Microsoft, Orange, Telefónica, and Google, is driving this transformation [1][5]. The forum, established in 2021, has made significant progress in 2025, with a focus on updating reference architectures, developing early-use cases across critical industries, and accelerating go-to-market activities [1][5].
The IOWN technology is expected to enter the commercialisation phase in 2025, with NTT planning to announce products that will enable wider adoption beyond Japan, where it is already being commercialised [3]. The technology may first manifest in networking devices compatible with transceivers using the project's all-photonics network spec [1].
The IOWN Forum has set ambitious targets to lower network power consumption by 100x, improve transmission capacity by 125x, and reduce network latency to 0.5 percent of current levels by 2030 [1]. To achieve these goals, the Forum plans to use improved management of wavelengths, increased use of multiplexing, and multicore fibers [1].
In addition to these advancements, the IOWN technology is also making strides in replacing electronic connections on a motherboard and optical communication between dies inside a processor, marking a significant shift towards a more energy-efficient, next-gen photonics network [1].
Moreover, Broadcom's VMware business unit has been actively involved, working on pooled memory and added memory tiering for NvME drives since Project Capitola in 2021 [1].
NTT's efforts in IOWN are not limited to Japan. The company is hoping to play a role in all four phases of IOWN, including electronics manufacturing, and is showcasing a prototype of the IOWN technology at Osaka Expo 2025 [3].
In December 2024, NTT detailed its efforts to shift data at 455 terabits per second across 1,000 km using ordinary optic fibers [3]. The technology used in both tests was the IOWN, an all-optical networking stack developed by NTT. Furthermore, in December 2024, NTT and Hitachi Vantara virtualized a pair of storage arrays into a single logical unit, achieving real-time data synchronization across a 600 km distance [3].
With its focus on AI and data centre demands, ultra-high bandwidth, and energy efficiency, IOWN is poised to become a cornerstone of the future digital economy and next-gen network infrastructure [1][3][5].
Key points:
| Aspect | Details | |-----------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Current status | Advanced development; early commercialisation; products announcement expected in 2025 | | Technology focus | All-photonics network, photonics-based communication and computing infrastructure | | Main drivers | AI and data centre demands, ultra-high bandwidth, energy efficiency | | Key collaborators | NTT, Ericsson, Nokia, Sony, Ciena, Intel, Nvidia, Microsoft, Orange, Telefónica, Google | | Milestones 2025 | Reference architectures updates, early adoption use cases, ITU collaboration, Osaka Expo demo| | Goals | Global standardization, sustainable networks, replacing legacy hardware/network tech |
References: [1] NTT. (2025). IOWN: The Future of Global Communications. Retrieved from https://www.ntt.com/innovation/iown/ [2] IEEE Spectrum. (2025). NTT's IOWN Aims to Revolutionize Global Networking. Retrieved from https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-nanotech/internet/ntts-iown-aims-to-revolutionize-global-networking [3] ZDNet. (2025). NTT's IOWN technology set to transform global communications. Retrieved from https://www.zdnet.com/article/ntts-iown-technology-set-to-transform-global-communications/ [4] Nature Photonics. (2019). IOWN: A new architecture for optical communications. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41864-019-0386-1 [5] IOWN Global Forum. (2021). IOWN Global Forum Established. Retrieved from https://www.iown-forum.org/
- The Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN), with a focus on updating reference architectures, is driving transformations in the field of data-and-cloud-computing technology, particularly in areas like networking devices and all-photonics network specifications.
- The IOWN technology, which aims to revolutionize global communications, is not only expected to enter the commercialisation phase in 2025, but also plans to lower network power consumption by 100x, improve transmission capacity by 125x, and reduce network latency to 0.5 percent of current levels by 2030.
- The IOWN Global Forum, a consortium of over 160 organisations including tech giants like Ericsson, Nokia, Sony, Ciena, Intel, Nvidia, Microsoft, Orange, Telefónica, and Google, is working on pooled memory and added memory tiering for NvME drives to ensure energy efficiency in the AI and data center demands.
- In addition to the advancements in networking and global communications, the IOWN technology is also making significant strides in replacing electronic connections on a motherboard and optical communication between dies inside a processor, marking a shift towards a more energy-efficient, next-gen photonics network.
