R&D History

"Our efforts are for the good of the people, the community and the future. In any age, our mission is to give a form to 'tomorrow'."

Our mission started with the creation of a network that connects people to people. Our continuing future-focused challenge has been to evolve the network, produce a mechanism to connect people with information, and develop and expand multimedia. Our mission is now looking to the first half of the 21st century, when multimedia will flourish. It will see information being shared over the network, at cybershops and in the form of digital cash. To make this vision of well-developed "Information Sharing Society" a reality, NTT is meeting the challenge of developing more convenient and versatile services, and researching into a secure and low-cost, high-speed network that will support these services.

  • 1948
    Established the Electrical Communication Laboratory under the Ministry of Communications
  • 1950
    Mass production of No.4 Telephone Set.
  • 1952
    Established Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation, taking over the telecommunications business of the Ministry of Communications
  • 1953
    Nationwide introduction of coin payphone.
  • 1954
    Nationwide introduction of coin payphone
  • 1959
    Commercial introduction of crossbar switching system
  • 1960
    Established the Ibaraki Branch of the Electrical Communication Laboratory
  • 1961
    Commercial introduction of 12-M Coaxial System
  • 1962
    Commercial introduction of PEF loop cables
  • 1963
    Commercial introduction of 600-Type Telephone Set.Prototype of small-diameter coaxial cable.
  • 1965
    Commercial introduction of PCM-24 Transmission Systems in Tokyo and Osaka
  • 1966
    Inauguration of electronic switching system (DEX-2).
    Start of basic research into optical communication
  • 1969
    Field test of DIPS-1 information processing system started.
  • 1972
    Prototype 64-kbit VLSI memory developed. Development of an automobile telephone system.
    Established the Yokosuka Electrical Communication Laboratory
    Established the Tsukuba Construction Technology Development Office
  • 1975
    Developed line spectral pairs (LSP) technology for high-compression speech encoding
  • 1977
    Successful field test of a short-distance optical fiber transmission system.
    Developed optical fiber base material production technology for mass production of high-quality optical fiber (VAD method)*1
  • 1978
    Successful field test of a short-distance optical fiber transmission system.
    Field test of digital data switching system started.
  • 1979
    One-chip LSI for PARCOR speech synthesizer developed.
    Prototype of 256-kbit VLSI memory developed.
  • 1980
    Successful development of ultrapure light-emitting fiber.
    3.2-GB magnetic disk unit (PATTY) completed.
    International standardization of G3 facsimile*2
  • 1981
    Successful development of magnetic card payphones. Prototype of 32-bit VLSI processor developed.
    New Facsimile Communications Service started.
  • 1982
    Successful development of single-mode optical fiber cable by VAD.
    Electronic telephone sets developed.
    Successful field test of a submarine optical fiber cable transmission system.
  • 1983
    Established the Atsugi Electrical Communication Laboratory
  • 1984
    Prototype 1-Mbit LSI memory developed.
    Operation for Model INS System started in Mitaka and Musashino districts.
  • 1985
    Digital switching system (D 70 with digital interface) commercialized.
    DIPS-11/5E Series developed.
    Field test on F-1.6G ultrahigh-capacity optical fiber transmission system started.
    Large-capacity packet switching system (D 51) put in service.
    Inaugurated Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation as a result of the privatization of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation
  • *1Developed through joint research with Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., and Fujikura Ltd. (then Fujikura Electric Wire Corporation)
  • *2Developed through joint research with KDDI (then Kokusai Denshin Denwa Co.)
  • 1986
    Electronic directory assistance service started.
    Successful field test of 256 QAM digital microwave system.
    Practical use of an SC-type optical fiber connector
  • 1987
    Successful experiment of ultrahigh-capacity light wave communication at 4 Gbps over a distance of 200 km.
    Prototype of ballistic carrier transistor (BCT) developed.
    Successful development of oxide superconductor single-crystal thin-film.
  • 1988
    High-speed data encryption LSI, FEAL-8, developed.
    Narrow spectral line width multielectrode array DFB laser developed.
  • 1989
    Prototype of a new transistor using quantum thin line developed.
    Successful field test of a new optical transmission system using fiber optical amplifier.
    Ultrahigh-speed compound semiconductor transistor for optical transmission developed.
  • 1990
    Color video CODEC for ISDN developed.
    150-cc cellular phone developed.
    Unified specification for multi-vendor computers (MIA 1) completed.
  • 1991
    VI&P Experiment started.
    Electronic signature system, ESIGN, developed.
    SOR lithographic system for VLSI development completed.
    Successful on-site test of 10-Gbps optical transmission.
  • 1992
    ATM (node, link and LAN) system test started.
    Feasibility of spontaneous emission control diode verified.
    Experiment of optical fiber subscriber transmission system started.
  • 1993
    Search algorithm with application of priority-to-the-best algorithm developed.
    The second phase of VI&P Experiment started.
    Half-rate audio CODEC algorithm for mobile communications developed.
    0.2-micron-level LSI basic technology established.
  • 1994
    Portable earth station for disaster developed.
    Collaboration support system using computer network (COGENT) developed.
    Ultrahigh-definition 110-inch large screen display developed.
    Prototype of single-electron transistor using silicon's submicroscopic structure developed.
  • 1995
    Low-power baseband generic LSI for PHS developed.
    Experiment of personal multimedia communication service (the third phase of VI&P)started.
    Successful 20-Gbps optical soliton transmission over an in-service circuit for a distance of 1000 km.
    Successful experiment of 400-Gbps wavelength-multiplexing, ultrahigh-speed large-capacity optical transmission using single-super light source.
    Validation of a new quantum mechanics effect of supercurrent that flows in a semiconductor.
  • 1996
    New nodes put in service in Science Information Network and PHS systems.
    New optical access system (known as p system) developed.
    Prototype of optical ATM switches developed, and 40-Gbps capacity achieved.
    Optical wavelength filter based on a new principle for tolerance to temperature changes developed.
    Experiment system of new, secure, reliable and efficient electronic money developed.
    Prototype of wristwatch-type PHS terminal with voice dialing function developed.
    System integration technology for highly-realistic multimedia teleconferencing system developed.
  • 1997
    Commercial introduction of new network node system started.
    Commercial FTTH network developed, and testing of CATV video transmission service started in Totsuka, Yokohama.
    Systems for cyber society, personal video broadcasting experiment station and cyber shops using the Internet developed.
    Image content distribution system with built-in copyright protection developed.
    Analog-to-digital LSI operated at one volt developed.
  • 1998
    xDSL field test started.
    Network-based audio system, "SolidAudio," developed.
    On-demand remote lecture system constructed and joint experiment started.
    Development test of network service between advertising and publishing industries started.
  • 1999
    Four leading world telecom companies complete development of common technical specification for high-capacity optical network access system.
    Breakthrough in elliptic encryption technology with promise for next-generation cryptography.
    Agreement reached to jointly develop IC card information distribution platform.
    Joint construction of optical fiber sensor hull damage detection system.
    Developed optical fiber strain sensor to diagnose integrity of concrete structures.
    Opening of NTT Musashino R&D Center main building.
    Reorganized NTT, including the creation of three laboratory groups
  • 2000
    Launched video delivery trial of Paris-Contents Distribution Service (iFrench).
    Launch FTTH collaborative trial of local information sharing business in Kanazawa city.
    Joint development of next-generation encryption algorithm Camellia by NTT and Mitsubishi Electric.
    Collaborative effort to build optical fiber sensor hull damage detection system.
    Developed large-capacity, full-mesh network system using orbiting arrayed waveguide grating filter.
    Development of 3D display without requiring special glasses based on novel world-class discovery.
  • 2001
    Successful real-time VLBI observation experiment at world's fastest data rate of 1Gbit/s.
    Developed FlexTicket digital ticket system allowing single smartcard to be used for wide-ranging service including travel and entertainment.
    Developed world's first non-soil discharge mole robot to install conduit without excavation.
    Developed network security technologies that support advanced commercial services over IPv6 Internet.
    Developed photonic MPLS router that supports future ultra-large-capacity Internet backbone.
  • 2002
    Developed satellite communication system that provides multicast collection and distribution services nationwide.
    Began collaborative video distribution system trial over optical fiber cable.
    NTT, Hitachi, and Matsushita began collaborative research aiming at next-generation e-commerce over optical networks.
    Developed world's fastest 100 Gbit/s optical communication IC.
    Developed wireless IP access system (WIPAS) that operates in the 26 GHz band.
  • 2003
    First implementation of information sharing control technology based on Liberty Alliance Specifications.
    Practical application of new optical holey fiber structure.
    First to develop multicast MPLS for next-generation broadband services.
    NTT joined two leading Japanese firms to develop world's first elliptic curve cryptosystem (ECDSA signature) packaging technology.
    Developed Moving Firewall that defends against DDoS attacks by tracing attacks upstream to their source while protecting the entire network.
  • 2004
    Developed Privango Email System that effectively blocks spam and other junk email.
    Developed home gateway security technology enabling remote control over network appliances at home.
    Developed world's fastest 10Gb/s packet classification and forwarding board for advanced functions on high-speed networks.
    Began operating wide-area IP network route monitoring and diagnostic system ENCORE on NTT Com's OCN to build an Internet environment with outstanding stability.
    Developed KTN crystal with world's highest electro-optic effect
  • 2005
    Successful interconnection trial of terabit-class network control technology.
    Developed preinstalled optical wiring kit for FTTH enabling fast and easy deployment of massive optical access networks.
    Roll out Japan's first 128-bit block cipher algorithm Camellia as next-generation standard encryption scheme on the Internet.
    Develop prototype next-generation high-output compact fuel cell that can be directly mounted in mobile phones.
    Developed one-chip fingerprint sensor LSI.
    Developed a free-bending optical fiber cord using a 'holey fiber'
  • 2006
    Began US-Japan telemedicine fetal care management trial by linking research and education networks.
    The OpenSSL Project, an international open source community, adopted Japan's own Camellia algorithm as next-generation international standard.
    Developed IP optical traffic engineering technology for integrated traffic control of IP and optical networks.
    Successful demonstration of world's largest capacity WDM transmission of 14 Tbit/s (111 Gbps x 140 channels).
    Elliptic curve based PSEC-KEM adopted as the ISO/IEC international standard cipher.
  • 2007
    New world record for integer factorization used to verify security of public key cryptography.
    Established Japan Computer Security Incident Response Team.
    Joint field trials exploit multiple networks to enhance disaster-prevention information communication system to improve quality of citizen's daily lives.
    Stepped up adoption of next-generation cipher Camellia to major open-source software.
    US-based Verizon adopted NTT developed multifiber MTR connector in its FTTH wiring system.
  • 2008
    Development of commercial NGN systems move toward practical deployment.
    R&D progress on NGN-compliant IPTV system.
    Begin demonstration trials of robust media search technology capable of processing vast amounts of contributed content.
    Developed thin, low-friction indoor optical fiber cable.
    World's first demonstration of quantum computation based on quantum teleportation.
    Successful demonstration of ultra-high capacity optical transmission of 13.4 Tbit/s over a single 3,600-km fiber.
  • 2009
    Developed commercial power generation module based on solid oxide fuel cells that achieved world's highest electrical conversion efficiency of 59%.
    New world record in prime factorization, the basis of security in public key cryptography.
    NILFS, first file system from Japan, merged into Linux.
    Exploit NTT optical technology to develop hybrid optoelectronic packet router that achieve significant power savings.
    Successfully developed multiple two-qubit operational element.
  • 2010
    Developed capability to dynamically configure virtual networks through integrated control of optical paths and IP links.
    World's first successful transmission of real-time multiuser-MIMO exceeding 1 Gbit/s.
    Developed an attojoule optical switch enabling an optical network on a chip.
  • 2011
    In collaboration with Nicira Networks, demonstrated remote live migration to any unspecified data center.
    World's first field trial of 10Gbit/s-100km class high-speed and wide-area optical access
    Developed the Koemiru system to enable conversation with the hearing disabled.
    Successfully developed and demonstrated digital signal processing circuits supporting 100 Gb/s optical transmission.
    Successfully demonstrated the principle of quantum memory.
  • 2012
    Developed world's highest-density multifiber cable.
    Developed new equipment power estimation procedure.
    Successful demonstration of world's largest capacity optical transmission of one petabit per second (Pb/s) over a distance of 50 km.
    Developed groundbreaking process for release of GaN-based thin-film devices from substrates.
    Created unique fabric that can be made into t-shirts or other articles of clothing that is capable of continuous monitoring electrocardiograms (ECGs) and heart rate.
    Developed Jubatus, an open source machine learning platform that intelligently analyzes streams of big data instantaneously.
    Reorganized NTT Laboratories into the current three laboratory groups
  • 2013
    Obtained first OpenADR 2.0 Profile A certification in Japan in compliance with OpenADR international standards.
    First domestic approval of trial use case of service chaining as a proof of concept by ETSI.
    Developed a laser that transmits data at one-tenth the energy consumption of conventional lasers.
    Developed an ICT car enabling immediate recovery of communications in the event of a natural disaster.
    Developed high-resolution HEVC encoding engine that doubles the compression performance of the H.264 compression standard.
    Established the NTT Innovation Institute, Inc. as a research hub in North America
  • 2014
    Developed intelligent microphone technology capable of picking up clear sound even under noisy conditions.
    FireFort-LDGM FEC R&D and MMT standardization activity tested in World Cup Brazil 8K public viewing trials.
    Developed wearable biosignal sensing technology with "hitoe".
    R&D of advanced speech recognition technology based on deep learning.
    Implemented NetroSphere, a radical new R&D concept that transforms the career network approach.
    Practical deployment of 100-Gb/s packet transport system.
    Successfully demonstrated world's top-level 400 Gb/s-class optical transmission technology.
  • 2015
    Developed HEVC encoder LSI that supports ultra-high definition 4K/8K video.
    Scientific elucidation of liquid recognition by humans and development of Hengento Projection.
    Study of extending a transmission distance using WDM simultaneous compensation of nonlinear distortion without degradation of spectrum efficiency.
    Practical application of transparent optical fiber which is thin, transparent, and aesthetically pleasing (received the Good Design Award in 2015).
    Proposed the FASA as a future access system concept that treats access equipment as components based on the NetroSphere concept.
    Practical implementation of a module separating data and control in 050 VoIP networks.
  • 2016
    Deployed NTT's open source software GoBGP in Internet Multifeed's JPNAP service.
    R&D of ultralow-power 400 G per channel digital coherent device (DSP).
    Launched Train the Brain to Win, a sports brain science project.
    New computation scheme for solving combinatorial optimization problems using light.
    Rolled out compact accelerator-driven neutron irradiation service to reproduce soft errors-abnormal operation of electronic equipment caused by cosmic rays.
    Working with other institutions, standardized algorithm for estimating quality of adaptive-bit-rate video streaming.
    Achieved significant resource and energy savings by deploying high-voltage DC power supply systems.
  • 2017
    NTT's secret sharing scheme is one of schemes that have been adopted as the first international standard of secret sharing schemes.
    Launched Pitarie, a picture book retrieval system based on children's vocabulary development.
    Demonstrated world's first laser oscillation and high-speed modulation using optical communication wavelength band nanowire.
    Launched APAC Telecom Innovation Initiative (ATII), an R&D initiative aimed at developing new network services throughout the APAC region.
    Developed Taper DIA Manhole Cover that is easier to open and stands up better to abrasion (awarded the Good Design Award of 2017).
    Successfully completed first APAC carrier collaborative trials of innovative Multi-Service Fabric (MSF) data transfer service. Demonstrated viability of White Box Switching.
  • 2018
    Multi-path-tolerant GNSS receiver developed, dramatically increasing accuracy in severe environments
    Prospect for realizing 600Gbps per lambda optical network and data transfer protocol maximizing its utilization, aiming for ultra - fast transfer of big data yielded by advanced science and technology research -
    Innovation in Laser Processing Technology for Social Infrastructure Products by Optical Fiber Technology for Information and Communication
    NTT develops a new cryptographic technique to enhance the security of post-quantum public-key encryption
    NTT successfully demonstrates 100 Gbps wireless transmission using a new principle (OAM multiplexing) as a world's first
    - New groundbreaking technology for achieving next generation of 5G systems -
    Confirmation of the basic operation of ‘transparent battery’ that adapts to the surroundings
    - Toward further expansion of IoT potential -
    Creation of novel material Sr3OsO6 with the highest ferromagnetic transition temperature among insulators
    - Breaking the world record for the first time in 88 years -
  • 2019
    World record 1,122 km transmission in a commercial environment
    For efficient use of satellite transponders and more secure communications
    Milestone for Realizing Long-haul and Large-capacity Mode-multiplexing Optical Transmission Links
    ISO adopts LightMAC as data authentication technology in their lightweight cryptography standard
    Realization of an ultra-energy-saving electro-optic modulator and highly-efficient optical transistor
    - Progress towards energy-saving and high-speed opto-electronic signal processing -
    Long-Distance Transmission of 1 Tbit/s Ultra-High-Capacity Optical Signal
    –World record 1,122 km transmission in a commercial environment–
    Reconstitution of a functional neural network using a nanoscale thin-film-based 3D template
    - new biological interface for regenerative medicine technology -
    Established three laboratories (Physics & Informatics, Cryptography & Information Security, and Medical & Health Informatics) within NTT Research Inc.
    Launched the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) Initiative