Global News

The NTT International Researcher's Newsletter

No. 3, December 1993

NTT's "VI&P" Vision Goes Global

In 1990, when NTT announced its "Visual, Intelligent and Personal (VI&P)" development strategy, it seemed just another corporate publicity campaign - a high-tech vision of a distant future. In 1993, with the prospect of "information superhighways" soon pouring graphics, multimedia, video, and internet magazines (as well as e-mail) into our desktop computers, it seems directly on target. One aspect of NTT's VI&P vision is of particular relevance to NTT's international research community: its implication for NTT's activities outside Japan.

Although traditionally a domestic carrier, NTT has taken a major step into the international market by signing, in November 1992, a US $1.6 billion contract with the Thai Telephone & Telecommunications Co., Ltd. This contract, which covers the design, construction and management of a million telephone circuits throughout Thailand, marks NTT's first joint venture with a large telecommunications firm outside Japan. NTT has sent both management and technical staff to Thailand in fulfillment of its contracts and in keeping with its corporate goal to contribute to the worldwide improvement of the telecommunications network.

More recently, NTT entered the US telecommunications market, taking a small but strategic stake in a rapidly expanding mobile services company, Nextel Communications, Inc. Under a ten-year technology transfer agreement, NTT will help develop a digital cellular network to connect Nextel's local operations on a nationwide scale. In addition, NTT is studying the possibility of participating with other major international telecommunications carriers in setting up a global services company. Also under discussion:multimedia tie-ups with both Apple Computer and Microsoft Corporation.

Eduardo Vera, an international researcher at NTT's Musashino R&D Center, has become directly involved in NTT's internationalization effort. Dr. Vera, a Chilean citizen, hosted Chilean business and academic leaders at a presentation about NTT's VI&P vision during the Chilean Presidential Visit to Japan in late 1992. In 1993, NTT helped establish CINCATEL-CHILE, a center for training South American technical personnel in digital telecommunications technologies, and Dr. Vera was invited to participate at the opening. As part of his visit, he spoke about the VI&P vision and future telecommunications technologies to business, academic and political leaders throughout Chile. Enthusiasm for NTT's VI&P vision extended to the highest levels of the Chilean government - Dr. Vera was invited to meet Chilean President Patricio Aylwin to discuss its implications for Chile's future social and economic development.

President Patricio Aylwin of Chile greets researcher Eduardo Vera.