NTT Collaborates with Cailabs to Develop Satellite-ground Optical Links

Japanese telecom operator NTT has partnered with French-based Cailabs to develop direct optical links between satellite networks and terrestrial data infrastructure.

Cailabs designs and manufactures advanced photonic products, which naturally synergize with this Japanese telecom operator leading the development of all-optical networks through its IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network) communication infrastructure initiative.

Traditional satellite communication heavily relies on radio frequencies and is prone to bandwidth bottlenecks. Cailabs and NTT are addressing this issue by utilizing advanced photonics and laser links to achieve multi-gigabit, ultra-low-latency data transmission while overcoming atmospheric turbulence.

This collaboration follows a series of initiatives by NTT in optical space infrastructure, including a similar joint venture established earlier this year with Ireland’s photonics company Mbryonics. Under the memorandum of understanding signed last Friday, the two companies agreed to explore integrating NTT’s digital coherent and network control technologies into Cailabs’ optical ground stations.

They also agreed to explore the feasibility of connecting selected optical ground stations to nearby NTT data centers via APN and to develop orchestration capabilities for coordinating ground station and terrestrial network resources. According to the two companies, this work will help define an end-to-end architecture connecting satellites, optical ground infrastructure, and terrestrial data networks.

NTT and Cailabs will evaluate a phased approach to develop an integrated optical communication infrastructure for space and terrestrial networks.

Future development

Minako Tsumenaga, Senior Vice President and Head of the Alliance Department at NTT Research and Development Marketing Headquarters, noted that the collaboration with Cailabs marks a significant milestone in applying NTT’s IOWN technology to the space sector.

He stated, “Leveraging NTT’s accumulated technological expertise and Cailabs’ proven capability in the steady deployment of optical ground stations, we will accelerate the global expansion of optical communication infrastructure in the space domain and unlock new growth opportunities.”

The Japanese telecommunications operator hopes this collaboration will support its future commercial services under its dedicated space business brand, NTT C89.

Cailabs CEO Jean-François Morizur stated, “Directly connecting optical ground stations to terrestrial optical networks is a crucial step in enabling large-scale operation of satellite optical communications. Our shared goal is to help transform high-capacity optical communications into a scalable infrastructure for future satellite services.”