OREANDA-NEWS. NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) today announced the completion of a Proof of Concept (PoC) with the Open Networking Foundation's (ONF) Open Transport Working Group on wireless transport network control with the use of OpenFlowR technology.

The PoC was conducted this month at IMDEA Networks Institute in Spain for a period of three days. A total of seven companies, including NEC, took part in the PoC.

The aim of the PoC is to encourage the development, testing, and implementation of open Software Defined Networking (SDN) for wireless transport networks. The PoC demonstrated that it was possible to control wireless transport network equipment using the Open Networking Operating System (ONOS), a type of SDN controller. The actual PoC consisted of two technological trials; the first trial concerned the reduction of power consumption of wireless links based on the network load, while the second trial examined traffic control in response to changes in transmission rates on wireless links.

For this PoC, NEC provided iPASOLINK VR ultra-compact microwave communications systems equipped with an OpenFlow interface. The PoC successfully demonstrated that iPASOLINK VR can be controlled with the SDN controller in a network environment that involved equipment from other manufacturers.

The ONF Open Transport Working Group aims to achieve centralized control of different types of transport networks, including wireless and optical communications systems, with the use of OpenFlow technology. Looking forward, it will press ahead with its efforts to formulate certain scenarios for use in transport networks and to standardize the extended specifications for the OpenFlow protocol.

"The next-generation wireless communications standard, commonly referred to as 5G, is required to support a more advanced level of network control, such as the dynamic control of communications equipment and the integrated control of wired and wireless systems. In light of the findings of the PoC, NEC will accelerate its research and development efforts for mobile backhaul products ready for SDN-based advanced networks," said Hideyuki Muto, Deputy General Manager, Mobile Wireless Solution Division, NEC Corporation.

This activity is partly executed under the "Research and Development of Network Virtualization Technology" program commissioned by the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and O3 project.

About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. By providing a combination of products and solutions that cross utilize the company's experience and global resources, NEC's advanced technologies meet the complex and ever-changing needs of its customers. NEC brings more than 100 years of expertise in technological innovation to empower people, businesses and society.

Based on its Mid-term Management Plan 2015, the NEC Group globally provides "Solutions for Society" that promote the safety, security, efficiency and equality of society. Under the company's corporate message of "Orchestrating a brighter world," NEC aims to help solve a wide range of challenging issues and to create new social value for the changing world of tomorrow.