Unlocking the Potential of 5G DIGITAL REPORT 2021
IN ASSOCIATION WITH:
NTT DOCOMO
NTT DOCOMO
UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL OF
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Hisakazu Tsuboya and Zaif Siddiqi of NTT DOCOMO discuss the Japanese telecom’s ambitious plans for 5G in Japan and overseas
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he impact that the global 5G rollout will have across every region, industry and vertical cannot be understated. 5G connectivity will deliver ultralow latency connectivity and a generational leap in capacity, which in turn is delivering transformational innovations to enterprises, governments and the end consumer. In Japan, where the national 5G rollout is well underway, adoption is being driven by a joint effort stemming from the public and private sectors in order to meet the exacting standards of enterprise and individual customers. “5G is about delivering ultra-low latency and higher capacity than ever before. It's also about creating meaningful change in the industry,” says Zaif Siddiqi, Executive Director and Global Head of NTT DOCOMO’s 5G & IoT Business Department. NTT DOCOMO is positioning itself at the forefront of 5G innovation in Japan, and is currently in the process of taking the vital next step, when the kinds of proof of concept (POC) trials that demonstrated the potential of 5G give way to POCs demonstrating the technology’s commercial viability. “The POCs we have done in the past were about finding out how to launch 5G. The POCs we are doing now are finding out how to commercialise the technology in the enterprise sector, making 5G not only beneficial to our enterprise customers, but proving its potential as a tool to solve wider social issues as well,” Siddiqi elaborates.
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Hisakazu Tsuboya (right), Senior Vice President and General Manager (NTT DOCOMO’s 5G & IoT Business Department) Zaif Siddiqi (left), Executive Director and Global Head (NTT DOCOMO’s 5G & IoT Business Department)
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Why 5G Matters
From the Mass Market to the Enterprise Hisakazu Tsuboya, Senior Vice President and General Manager of NTT DOCOMO’s 5G & IoT Business Department, notes that, while most of the development of the technology has so far been focused on the mass market sector, there is huge potential for 5G to have a transformative effect on the enterprise space. “5G is a very cutting edge technology. Currently, much of the focus has been on the mass market, delivering smartphone solutions to end customers, but we need to think about how best to expand in the enterprise market as well,” he says. “5G has a very big impact on the progress of companies' digital transformation.” The roles of both Tsuboya and Siddiqi share the similar goal, of exploring and expanding NTT DOCOMO’s reach within the enterprise 5G segment. However, while Tsuboya is focused on the domestic Japanese market - where NTT DOCOMO does the majority of its business - Siddiqi 6
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is responsible for the company’s overseas ambitions, an area where he explains there is immense potential to grow and better serve NTT DOCOMO’s customers. “So far, DOCOMO has really focused on the Japanese market. We do around $43bn worth of business annually as DOCOMO, and the whole NTT Group does around $100bn. We're a significant revenue generator for the Group, but pretty much all of that money is earned in Japan, and largely in the consumer market,” Siddiqi explains. “We want to globalise our product portfolio and make it clear that our services are not only for Japan, but also for our customers overseas. This may take time but we will make it happen.” Globalising the 5G Business During the COVID-19 crisis, Siddiqi explains that NTT DOCOMO has already made great strides towards expanding NTT DOCOMO’s operational scope overseas, demonstrating several ways in which 5G can not only help
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businesses overcome the challenges of the pandemic, but fully embrace the potential of Industry 4.0. During the past year, when specialised labourers from Japan were unable to leave the country, NTT DOCOMO used 5G powered virtual reality (VR) headsets in order to support a partner in Thailand. “Using our AceReal for DOCOMO AR headsets, skilled waterproof roof painters from Japan who couldn't travel to Thailand to do a job were able to give instructions to unskilled workers on site in real-time over a 5G connection with utilisation of DOCOMO Open Innovation Cloud, an MEC platform that directly connects to NTT DOCOMO's secure and lowlatency network,” he explains. Partnerships like this, Siddiqi continues, are key to NTT DOCOMO’s efforts to integrate 5G technologies into the modern enterprise. He explains: “When you're approaching digital transformation, there's more to it than just leveraging cutting edge technologies into new customer experiences.” Unless the needs of the customer, and the underlying market forces at play, can be truly understood, “5G doesn’t mean anything,” says Siddiqi, adding that in order to find the right contexts for deployment, “Selection of the right partners is extremely important to delivering on the potential value of 5G.”
HISAKAZU TSUBOYA
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, NTT DOCOMO, INC.
TITLE: SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF NTT DOCOMO’S 5G & IOT BUSINESS DEPARTMENT LOCATION: JAPAN Academic history Completed the master's course of the Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo in March 1992. 2003 Completed the MIT Sloan School Management of Technology (Master of Engineering Management)
EXECUTIVE BIO
“ We have 3,600 partners in Japan, who we are working with to develop new 5G solutions”
HISAKAZU TSUBOYA
Career • Apr. 1992 Joined Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) • July 1992 Joined NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. (The current NTT DOCOMO, INC.) Oct. 2005 Director, International Business Department (technical planning) and Director, Ubiquitous Services Department • July 2008 Director, Frontier Service Department • Feb. 2015 President of DOCOMO BIKE SHARE, Inc. • July 2017 General Manager, Chiba Branch, NTT DOCOMO, INC. • June 2019 General Manager of Solution Service Department • July 2020 Senior Vice President, General Manager of 5G & IoT Business Department
Reap revenue from 5G, IoT, Data and AI Substantial investment demands quick returns. Often business can’t wait. Which is why CSPs are so focused on eMBB and FWA as ‘easy wins’ on 5G investment. Truth is, the real revenue generators are hidden in enterprise use cases. From self-driving vehicles to wide-area drones. From VR events to AR-enhanced workers. That’s how entire verticals are transformed.
5G
“39%
of CSPs indicate new revenue generation as primary stimulus for network transformation. Better CX is next at 25%.” Your 5G network is ready, but can you generate revenue from it? Source: GSMA: The Mobile Economy Report 2020
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IoT “5G expands CSPs’ TAM for IoT from 15.0% to 41.8 and for IoT connectivity from 2.4% to 4.0% of total IoT value ($1.1T by 2023) “$1.1T total worldwide IoT spending 2023. Only $100B will be for connectivity. ” IoT is a long-promised revenue opportunity for CSPs. Will 5G and smart cities really deliver on this promise? Source: Oracle commissioned IDC Infobrief: IoT in the Enterprise: New Revenue Opportunities for CSPs.
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Seeing data in new ways, discovering insights and unlocking endless possibilities As 5G, the latest network technology gets into full swing, the latest network technology, high-speed mobile broadband, ultra-low latency, and mass device connectivity will be realized, and it is expected that our lives will change drastically. It is said that a safer, more secure and prosperous society can be realized by appropriately utilizing cloud technology as well as 5G. In order to realize these, the utilization of Multi-access Edge Computing, which is a cloud installed in a place close to the network core, has begun all over the world. Oracle’s in-memory technology and Sharding technology that realizes distributed management contribute to the
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realization of regional distributed data management and processing responsiveness in MEC. Various security features of Oracle Database protect your data with fine-grained security controls. MEC, which is expected to be highly safe, can provide a more secure environment from the user’s point of view. Oracle’s Converged Database strategy is evolving to support many data formats and various workloads with a single DBMS (Database Management System). As a data format, it supports JSON, Graph, Spatial, Text, XML, etc. in addition to the conventional relational, and handles workloads such as data analysis, IoT, streaming, blockchain in addition to transactions. Since Oracle Database can handle many data formats and workloads with one technology, it is possible to aggregate the skills required of administrators and developers and perform application development, operation, and maintenance in a simple environment. It will be like. This makes it possible to obtain extremely high productivity in data utilization. Oracle’s mission is to help people see data in new ways, discover insights, unlock endless possibilities. As network technology evolves, Oracle will continue to support the provision of an environment where data can be used in a highly productive manner.
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“ We want to globalise our product and make it clear that our services are not just for Japan, but also for our customers overseas”
ZAIF SIDDIQI TITLE: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GLOBAL HEAD OF NTT DOCOMO’S 5G & IOT BUSINESS DEPARTMENT LOCATION: JAPAN
ZAIF SIDDIQI
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GLOBAL HEAD, NTT DOCOMO, INC.
EXECUTIVE BIO
Siddiqi was assigned as an Executive Director of Corporate Sales & Marketing Division at NTT DOCOMO, INC. to develop and lead the global enterprise business. His responsibilities were extended in July 2018, where he was appointed to serve as a Board Member of NTT DOCOMO USA, China, Asia, Europe and Brazil to strategize the enterprise ICT business. In July 2020, he assumed the role of Global Head of 5G IoT to address the needs of enterprise clients. Prior to the current assignment, his professional contributions were at Vodafone Global Enterprise, Microsoft and Verizon Business. Zaif Siddiqi earned his bachelor’s degree from International Islamic University, Malaysia, in the faculty of Economics and Management Sciences with a minor in Business Administration. He speaks native Japanese, English and Urdu/Hindi and has over 44 years of living experience in Japan.
For example, NTT DOCOMO, together with EDGEMATRIX, launched a worldfirst edge AI platform for intelligent video analytics, enabling high resolution, high security, and real-time video using AI. Using the EDGEMATRIX platform, customers can select and purchase AI applications and download them to an edge AI box remotely. This is the best state-of-the-art solution deployed in Japanese market, and NTT DOCOMO, along with EDGEMATRIX, is working to offer it to overseas markets as well. Another key partner for NTT DOCOMO is LANDLOG. The firm was founded in 2017 by multiple companies including NTT DOCOMO. LANDLOG aims to build an ecosystem through partnering not only with companies involved in the construction process but also with various stakeholders surrounding the construction industry. LANDLOG provides an open platform
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DOCOMO's global expansion
where various application providers can easily participate. The platform improves the productivity at the construction site by enabling the collection and processing of data obtained from all things related to construction production such as construction machinery, terrain, materials, and staff. Contributing to Society 5.0 At home, NTT DOCOMO benefits from an established mass market customer base, a cutting edge 5G and 4G LTE network, and long-standing relationships with a diverse network of partners. “We have 3,600 partners in Japan, who we are working with to develop new 5G solutions,” says Tsuboya, adding that NTT DOCOMO has done numerous 5G trials in Japan - including one with Japan’s bullet train, the Shinkansen, and another with leading construction company, Komatsu. “We have a very close relationship
Edge AI Box and Platform
Edge AI Box
EDGEMATRIX Platform Edge view
Map view
A compact and robust device “Edge AI Box” applies AI to infer in real time videos from IP cameras and sends analysed data to the cloud, while the dedicated platform remotely manages the boxes and AI applications at many bases, notifies of any abnormality on site, and monitors edge AI video images with a browser. Watch: EDGEMATRIX Solution
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with Komatsu,” says Tsuboya, explaining that the 5G trial with the firm exploited the benefits of 5G in order to support the remote controlling of heavy machinery from a distance of up to 800 kilometers, a powerful solution to an increasingly common pain point in an industry where Tsuboya notes that “the market faces a severe shortage of skilled laborers. With LANDLOG, for example, NTT DOCOMO provides an open platform to create new values and solve issues related to the construction industry.” Using 5G as the connective tissue between other transformative technologies is a key application for the technology. Tsuboya explains that, “coupling technologies of AI, IoT, XR and cloud with the network will yield data that we never
“ 5G is about delivering ultra-low latency and higher capacity than ever before. It's also about creating meaningful change in the industry” ZAIF SIDDIQI
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GLOBAL HEAD, NTT DOCOMO, INC. nttdocomo.co.jp
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expected before for new monetisation.” By unifying all the technologies that exist within 5G’s orbit, using a comprehensive 5G network, the possibilities start to become the stuff of science fiction. “By leveraging our network and the technologies that are available throughout the NTT Group and our partners, we bring 5G together with backend infrastructure, AI engine, XR capabilities and cloud services,” Siddiqi explains. “It’s a very complex undertaking but, if we can unite all these technologies successfully, you have everything you need to create a smart city. For example, NTT DOCOMO is working with Oracle on backend database servers that are highly interoperable with 5G architecture. The backend infrastructure is vital to enable fast and flexible deployments of the 5G mobile network,” says Siddiqi. 14
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THE 5GEC: ENTERPRISE 5G IN SOUTHEAST ASIA In order to globalise its 5G business, Siddiqi explains that NTT DOCOMO is leveraging the considerable expertise of the NTT group as a whole and of its partners. “NTT DOCOMO, and the Group as a whole, are working on memorandums of understanding with various governments and cities, which play a vital role in the promotion of new technologies,” explains Siddiqi. Announced in February of this year, one of the key collaborative efforts between NTT DOCOMO, the rest of the NTT Group, and key partners from throughout the ICT industry, is the 5G Global Enterprise solution Consortium (5GEC). Siddiqi explains that, “The consortium’s mission is to provide overseas companies with professional consultation regarding 5G solutions, especially flexible and highly secure private 5G networks that function independently of public networks offered by local telecommunications operators by coordinating each member’s strength such as advantages in network technologies or sales and marketing networks.” Between the consortium’s 13 member companies, Siddiqi adds that it possesses “strengths and assets in varied fields capable of implementing and providing a one-stop shop for provision of private 5G services, which can be extremely beneficial to enterprises that are considering upgrading their manufacturing facilities and executing their smart factory initiatives.” The decision to target the Thai market initially makes sense for NTT DOCOMO, due to the long-standing relations between Thailand and Japan which, Siddiqi explains,
provides not only the potential governmental support for the project, but a broad customer base. “There are more than 5,000 Japanese enterprise customers that currently operate in Thailand, so the amount of manufacturing and processing infrastructure that's present in the market makes it very attractive,” he explains. “Japan and Thailand have over 130 years of friendship, which means that companies from Japan and Thailand are very accustomed to working together, and the affinity between the Japanese and Thai governments definitely contributes to this state of affairs.” The consortium’s target for the coming fiscal year is to launch several successful POCs with companies operating in Thailand. Then, once those are successful, Siddiqi expects those POCs to develop into opportunities for commercialisation. Once that has been achieved, he adds that “we want to develop out into other countries in the region, as well as other continents further down the line.”
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TIMELINE: NTT DOCOMO’S 5G ROLLOUT
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2014-2019:
2019:
March 2020:
NTT DOCOMO carries out extensive and comprehensive 5G technology verification tests across Japan.
Experimental 5G services are launched, including trials of audience experience enhancement at international sports events such as the Rugby World Cup 2019.
NTT DOCOMO launches commercial NSA 5G services across Japan.
The open platform that transforms construction sites. The open platform brings value and allows us to work closely with customers. By collaborative creation, we contribute to the productivity of the construction industry.
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September 2020:
2021:
March 2022:
March 2023:
NTT DOCOMO’s 5G network achieves max download speeds of 4.1 Gbps.
NTT DOCOMO launches standalone 5G services and begins the transition away from its NSA network.
NTT DOCOMO achieves 55% population coverage with its 5G services.
NTT DOCOMO achieves 70% population coverage.
Siddiqi gestures to the window behind him, through which the last rays of evening sunlight are being replaced by the neon and LED constellation of downtown Tokyo. Less than a quarter mile from his office, Tokyo Tower glows against the darkening sky. “The city behind me was built immediately after World War Two. The technology that was used to build it is 40 to 50 years old now,” he says. “What we have to do now is be ready for a new era of infrastructure. And that's where the NTT Group's technology becomes extremely important to solving the question of how a smart city in this new era operates.” Backed by the Japanese Government, Society 5.0 is an initiative that focuses on the unification of digital and physical space, and 5G is the essential stepping stone between them. “Society 5.0 is about achieving a high degree of convergence between the physical world and cyberspace. The way to achieve that convergence is to use a 5G network in between the two,” Siddiqi explains.
“ Currently, much of the focus has been on the mass market, but we need to think about how best to expand 5G in the enterprise market as well” HISAKAZU TSUBOYA
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, NTT DOCOMO, INC.
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Siddiqi shows a 5G portable base station which is used for immediate 5G coverage at bespoke events
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“Selection of the right partners is extremely important to delivering on the potential value of 5G” ZAIF SIDDIQI
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GLOBAL HEAD, NTT DOCOMO, INC.
Tsuboya adds that, “Innovation has its value when social issues are resolved, and new values are created. For example, with the help of universities and hospitals, DOCOMO is working to provide ultralow-latency connectivity to run mission critical telemedicine applications. We aim to allow patients that are unable to transport themselves to be served by mobile hospitals equipped with state-ofart equipment that will be connected to a 5G network that allows patients to be diagnosed in real-time by medical experts located remotely.” In Society 5.0, vast amounts of information gathered by sensors in physical space is then accumulated in cyberspace. The data is then analysed by AI, and the results are fed back to humans in physical space in various forms, contrary to the past, when humans were the ones doing the analysis. In Society 5.0, people, things, and systems are all interconnected in cyberspace and optimal results obtained by AI exceeding the capabilities of humans are fed back to physical space to support better decision making and understanding of our world. “This process brings new value to industry and society in ways not previously possible,” Hisakazu says.
The Road Ahead Both Tsuboya and Siddiqi have an exciting, challenging journey ahead of them. At home in Japan, NTT DOCOMO’s 5G rollout continues, and finding the ways in which the technology can solve enterprise problems, and advance digital transformations throughout the country, is key to making sure NTT DOCOMO plays a central role in creating Society 5.0. Overseas, they face the challenge of building something new, in markets where overall connectivity and development are less mature, and yet customers still expect flawless service. “The Japanese market is extremely demanding, and Japanese customers expect that same level of service to be provided overseas, which can be challenging,” says Siddiqi. Nevertheless, he is optimistic about NTT DOCOMO’s future as a globalised business. “We have set very ambitious targets for our solution business. We are aiming to have the solution segment hit revenues of $1.2bn in 2021 and to grow still further over the next few years. To achieve those big numbers, we are going to need to work closely with our customers, help them understand the benefits of 5G and what the technology means for their industry.”
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Sanno Park Tower 2-11-1 Nagata-cho Chiyoda-ku Tokyo Japan T 81-3-5156-2413 | nttdocomo.co.jp 5g-info-ml@nttdocomo.com
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