by James E. Carroll
The IOWN Global Forum is marking its fifth year of driving innovation in optical and wireless networks, reporting progress on ultra-high-capacity, low-latency, and power-efficient photonics-based technologies. Founded in 2020 by NTT, Intel, and Sony, the Forum now includes over 150 global organizations from industries such as construction, financial services, gaming, and telecommunications, including members like Google, Nokia, Microsoft, Orange, and Red Hat. Over the past five years, the Forum has produced technical papers, implementation models, proofs of concept, and use case reports, exploring applications such as mobile front-haul, remote direct memory access (RDMA), and network digital twins. Additionally, it has focused on green computing for AI workloads and integrating AI into communications systems.
Looking ahead, the Forum plans to update its reference architectures, develop early adoption use cases, and drive product readiness for IOWN technologies through 2026. It will emphasize energy-efficient, high-throughput innovations such as the Open All-Photonics Network (APN) and Photonics-Electric Convergence technologies to advance markets like AI computing, smart manufacturing, remote healthcare, and disaster prevention. Dr. Katsuhiko Kawazoe, President and Chairperson of the Forum, noted, “The limits of current communications technology demand a paradigm shift. In 2025, the IOWN Global Forum will continue leading network innovation to create a smarter, safer, and more sustainable world.”
• Key Developments:
• Established in 2020, now includes 150+ global organizations across diverse industries.
• Developed use cases for Open All-Photonics Network (APN), including remote RDMA and digital twins.
• Published technical papers and conducted proofs of concept for green AI computing and AI-integrated communications.
• Focus areas include fiber sensing, data spaces, digital twins, and energy-efficient computing.
• 2025–2026 Goals:
• Update reference architectures and technologies to align with industry trends.
• Develop early adoption use cases for IOWN technologies in key industries.
• Advance product readiness from proofs of concept to market solutions.
• Expand collaborations with standards organizations.
• Focus on applications such as smart buildings, remote surgery, and real-time disaster response.
• Future Direction:
• Emphasize Open APN and Photonics-Electric Convergence technologies.
• Address new and existing markets, including financial services, media production, and AI computing.