New Internet businesses are expected to be created by promoting the utilization of an extended address space of IPv6, security function, P2P application using automatic setting, and advanced intranet/extranet.

NTT Communications has been playing an important role in the development of IPv6 business as the world's first provider of full-scale IPv6 connectivity service and construction of the global IPv6 backbone, and accumulating operation and research/development expertise in the area.

We will continue striving to extend the possibilities of new IPv6 Internet businesses through various approaches not only network services.

At the "World Communication Awards 2004" held in London, NTT Communications received the award for "Best Global Carrier" among the 5 companies nominated (AT&T, BT Global Services, Infonet, MCI, NTT Com). NTT Com is the first Asian carrier to receive this honorable award. The company also received the award for "Best New Service" for its advanced IPv6/IPv4 Dual Service.

NTT Com began offering IPv6 Internet service in April 2001, leading the world in the provision of commercial IPv6 Internet connection services.

NTT Com currently offers seven IPv6 services. They are "IPv6 Native Service" (begun April 27, 2001) that provides a direct IPv6 native connection to a backbone, "IPv6/IPv4 Dual Service" (begun April 11, 2004) that provides a dual IPv6/IPv4 backbone connection over a single line, "OCN IPv6 Tunnel Connection Service" (begun June 11, 2001) that connects to a backbone through an OCN IPv4 utilizing IPv6-over-IPv4 technology, "IPv6 Dual (A) OCN ADSL Service" (begun August 1, 2002) that utilizes a dual-stack mode to enable simultaneous use of IPv6 and IPv4 over ASDL, "Super OCN IPv6 Dual Ethernet Access" (begun February 23, 2005) that uses a dual-stack mode to provide a direct high-quality area backbone connection meeting the industry's highest standards, "IPv6 Dual Connection Service for OCN Housing" (begun February 10, 2005), and "OCN IPv6" (begun December 5, 2005) that provides home users with ease of use at a low cost. Ever since we began providing IPv6, users seeing it as a major business opportunity have been utilizing it.

Construction of a business global IPv6 backbone for providing a satisfactory quality of business service (See the under figure)

This backbone is connected with IPv6-compatible IX through POPs in Japan, North America and Europe to secure a stable mutual connectivity with the global IPv6 network. Two global NOCs in Tokyo and Dallas (US) that have been handling OCN, which is one of the largest ISPs in Japan, and the global Tier1 backbone of Verio have been operating and controlling the backbone on a round-the-clock and all-year basis. Also, this backbone has been operated on an IPv6/IPv4 full dual stack service.

Global Backbone Network (Click to enlarge)

Since the NTT Research Institute (at that time) began a large IPv6 trial network in 1996, NTT Com has been trying to realize a global scale IPv6 service in cooperation with the group companies such as Verio (North America), NTT Europe (Europe), NTT MCL (North America), HKNet (Hong Kong), NTT Australia IP (Australia),and NTT MSC (Malaysia).

In Japan, NTT Com offered "IPv6 OCN Tunneling trial services" with more than 200 partners on a nationwide scale for one and a half years starting in 1999. Operating expertise and large responses obtained through these services have enabled the realization of the world's first commercial IPv6 service.

To maximize the possibilities of IPv6, it is important not only to develop a network, but also to create new applications and network services utilizing the merits such as a secured P2P communication. To provide customers with a more comfortable life, NTT Com has been working on realizing a new Internet world through joint experiments with advanced partners including experiments of information appliances, mobile terminals, etc.

We believe that NTT Com's world first commercial services can contribute to the development of new applications, devices and businesses for advanced customers.

We have already provided solutions utilizing characteristics of IPv6 and several customers have adopted such solutions. We will strengthen the system and continue to develop the solutions further.

Topics As one example of utilizing the merits of IPv6, NTT Communications developed "m2m-x (development code)" which is a new communication procedure to realize a secure and easy two-way real-time communication through the Internet