FUKUOKA, Japan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–TRIPLE-1 Inc. (Headquarters: Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka; Representative Director CEO: Takuya Yamaguchi; Henceforth: TRIPLE-1) announces a new product (CU/DU·RU) “TOKI” series (hereinafter: TOKI) for the local 5G network, which supports millimeter wave and Sub-6 bands with Stand Alone technology (*1). We plan to start selling and providing the first mass-produced TOKI products this fall.
Social background ~The importance of communication and DX accelerated by the COVID-19 epidemic ~
With the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), the entire world is now facing a time of great change.
The new standard of non-face-to-face and non-contact communication is accelerating Digital Transformation (DX) such as smartification, automation, and going online, making technology and the situations in which it is used more accessible than ever before. According to statistics (*2), in the world of the COVID-19 epidemic, a decade’s worth of e-commerce deliveries were performed in just 8 weeks, and 250 million students engaged in online learning in the span of two weeks. The demand for DX is growing in many other areas, including remote medical consultation and video streaming.
These changes in society’s needs highlight once again the importance of communication as a means of connecting technology and people.
About local 5G ~Features unique to local 5G~
“Local 5G” is a 5G network system that can be built and operated by businesses and local governments within a specific area. Local 5G is characterized by its ability to be flexibly customized to meet the challenges of different businesses or operations. Local 5G also has advantages over public 5G in terms of disaster resistance and robustness against information leakage. It is expected to be used in a wide range of industries and applications in the future, including remote control at construction sites, remote medical treatment at medical facilities, productivity improvement at manufacturing plants, multi-angle viewing and enhanced security at stadiums, etc.
The merits of local 5G ~From wired to wireless~
Until now, wired LAN or Wi-Fi connection within a limited area was suitable for local communication in order to secure all the important factors such as “high speed and large capacity”, “security”, and “real-time” communication. However, by deploying local 5G, you will be freed from the physical limitation of cables and the coverage area limitations of Wi-Fi. As a result, for example, the following applications can be envisioned in a manufacturing plant with a large site.
– Case 1: Seamless communication with mobile objects
Going wireless will not only reduce the costs, but will also ensure seamless communication with mobile objects such as work vehicles and AGVs.
– Case 2: Remote worker support
By using devices such as AR glasses, instructors in remote areas can assist workers on the site to complete their work in a short time, even if they are not skilled. In addition, by receiving guidance in real time, the proficiency of the on-site workers can be improved in a short period of time, eliminating the shortage of manpower and efficiently passing on technical skills.
– Case 3: Real-time monitoring and control
By taking advantage of the “low latency” and “multiple simultaneous connections” of local 5G, multiple AGVs in a factory can be controlled in real time in response to changes in the surrounding environment, enabling smooth delivery of goods to the desired location. Also, in the event of an emergency, by transmitting high-definition 4K and 8K video from the AGVs, the system can be used as an “eye” to quickly confirm the situation at the site.
For reference, there are estimates (*3) that 5G networks will have an economic effect of ¥13.4 trillion on the domestic manufacturing industry (operation optimization: ¥7.5 trillion, inventory management streamlining: ¥1.2 trillion, labor cost streamlining: ¥4.7 trillion). Besides manufacturing, local 5G is expected to have significant effects in various other fields as well, such as agriculture, forestry, fishery, transportation/logistics, construction, medical care, entertainment, and crime prevention/disaster prevention.
TRIPLE-1 will create an impactful success story and communicate it not only domestically, but also globally, so that everyone can be convinced of the benefits that local 5G can bring to society.
About TOKI ~Building an ecosystem for local 5G~
TOKI is currently in the process of construction design certification, and its first mass-produced products are expected to start selling and being provided this fall. TRIPLE-1 also plans to gradually expand its lineup of local 5G cores and terminals in the future.
Furthermore, we are also focusing its efforts on building ecosystems with leading partners that have advantages in various industries such as primary industries, manufacturing, logistics, medical care, and entertainment, and has established the “TOKI Ecosystem Program” to promote cooperation and collaboration. (For more information, please contact us.)
Future business development ~The potential of hybrid business~
Since its founding in 2016, TRIPLE-1 has been refining its proprietary “computing” technology through the development of cutting-edge semiconductors for AI and mining Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. At the same time, we have also recognized the importance of hybridizing computing with “energy” and “communication” businesses.
– Mining x Energy ~Turning energy into an asset~
For large-scale electric power businesses, the options for storing and saving large amounts of electrical energy have been limited to storage batteries. On the other hand, cryptocurrency mining, such as Bitcoin, requires massive computational processing and large amounts of electrical energy. From there, the idea of converting electrical energy, whose storing and saving options had originally been limited, into “assets” in the form of cryptocurrencies by operating computing devices for mining with large amounts of electrical energy and storing and saving those assets has been born.
Since 2018, when TRIPLE-1 was still in the development stage of its proprietary devices, it has been working with large-scale domestic energy providers, and is currently working on several projects.
– AI x Communication ~A society in which cooperation between AIs is the key~
For example, in order to create a society where automated driving is the norm, it is necessary to process not only the driving data of single cars, but also the big data from the surrounding environment and other cars in real time. This is because it is necessary to control driving based on the overall situation and ensure safety. In order to achieve this, not only high-performance AI devices, but also a powerful and secure communication infrastructure that can connect multiple AI devices together is essential.
TRIPLE-1 has been focusing on the potential of “AI x Communication” and has been conducting research and development of communication devices in collaboration with external partners since 2019. In the future, we will hybridize our core computing technologies with “energy” and “communication” businesses to create innovative solutions for the future digital society, in which things and people are connected in a complex and real-time manner.
(Reference) Local 5G market size
The number of local 5G base stations worldwide was 1,945 in 2020, but it is said that it will increase to 1.56 million by 2027.(*4) In addition, the local 5G market in Japan is expected to grow to about ¥300 billion in 2025 and about ¥1.3 trillion in 2030.(*5) In December last year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications started accepting license applications for extended frequency bands for local 5G. Now that it is possible to apply for licenses in the entire frequency band for local 5G, the market is expected to become even more active in the future.
TRIPLE-1 outline:
– Company Name: TRIPLE-1, Inc.
– Representatives: Representative Director CEO Takuya Yamaguchi
– Corporate Headquarter: 7F IT Bldg.Ⅱ,1-14-20 Hakataeki-Higashi, Hakata-ku Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka, Japan
– Established: November 1, 2016
– The capital: 3962 million 895 thousand and 400 yen (including the capital reserve)
– Website: https://triple-1.com/en
A brief history of TRIPLE-1, Inc.
– TSMC 7nm process “KAMIKAZE” announced (February 2018)
– World’s most advanced 5nm process – AI processor for deep learning “GOKU” announced (February 2020)
– Featured in “100 Amazing Ventures: 2020 edition” by the Toyo Keizai weekly magazine (August 2020)
– Featured in “The U.S.-China Semiconductor Wars: Where do Japan’s Loyalties Lie?” by the Nikkei Business weekly magazine (November 2020)
– Featured in “Japan Startup Estimated Market Value Ranking Latest Edition” by STARTUP DB (April 2021) *2nd place
Notes
(*1) Stand Alone technology: A wireless access network configuration that works only with 5G.
(*2) Source: McKinsey & Company, “Meet the Next Normal Consumer”
(*3) Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications data
(*4) Source: “RAN Research” by Rethink Technology Research
(*5) Source: Trend Survey on Noteworthy Fields (2019) overview by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA)
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