JTOWER participates in study and research of 5G networks development utilizing traffic signals

JTOWER will participate in “Study and Research for the Development of 5G Network Utilizing Traffic Signals in FY2021” project promoted by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications as one of the consortium members. In addition to developing 5G networks utilizing Infra-Sharing, we will contribute to the execution of efficient study and research by playing the role of unifying contact points between related parties as a third-party organization.

■Background – Aiming for centralized control of signals and efficient development of 5G networks

5G is a new communication method with high-speed, high-capacity, and low latency. Because of its radio frequency profile, it is required to install a larger number of base stations and build dense networks than 4G, and securing locations for 5G base stations is an issue. On the other hand, in traffic signals, only about 30% of the approximately 208 thousand units nationwide managed by prefectural police departments are centrally controlled. In addition, many of the networks for centralized control are using telephone lines, causing heavy maintenance and operation costs. Against this backdrop, Cabinet Secretariat (currently Digital Agency), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and National Police Agency have been promoting the study of “Development of 5G Networks Utilizing Traffic Signals” as part of “Public/Private R&D Investment Strategic Expansion PrograM (PRISM)” since FY2019.

■Our initiatives – Utilization of Infra-Sharing contributes to the reduction of equipment weight and investment

As one of the consortium members, we are responsible for “The verification of the installation of 5G base stations including shared use among several mobile network operators” and “The verification of the functions and roles of the third-party organization through demonstration tests” in Tokyo and Akita areas.

In “The verification of the installation of 5G base stations including shared use among several mobile network operators”, we will install 5G Infra-Sharing equipment and antennas at intersection points to develop 5G networks. By utilizing Infra-sharing, we aim to contribute to reduce mobile network operator’s investment costs, while realizing the simplification and lighter weight of equipment installed onto traffic signals.

In addition, in “The verification of the functions and roles of the third-party organization through demonstration tests” as the third-party organization taking a part in the installation of base stations, we will take on the role of coordinating installation works with a wide range of related parties, such as mobile network operators, prefectural police, and road managers, and unifying the contact points for various projects. In this way, we will verify the efficiency of operations in the installation of base stations.

As the leading company of Infra-Sharing, JTOWER boasts the largest number of installations in Japan. In recent years, we have begun full-scale provision of 5G indoor Infra-Sharing solutions in order to contribute to the development of a broader network and we have launched new outdoor Infra-Sharing businesses, such as tower sharing in rural areas and smart poles mainly in urban areas, strengthening our operational structure.

In this project, we will contribute to the digitization of society by leveraging the know-how and achievements we have cultivated so far, aiming to establish the model to solve social issues.

[The Image of 5G Infra-Sharing by JTOWER]

[The image of functions and roles of the third-party organization taking a part in the installation of base stations onto traffic signals]