NTT Docomo and D-Wave trial give networks some quantum juice

By plugging in D-Wave’s annealing quantum computing solutions, DOCOMO managed to reduce congestion at base stations by decreasing paging signals during peak calling times by 15%, which it says potentially means increased efficiencies and lowered infrastructure costs.

The hybrid-quantum technology was used to optimise base station tracking areas –small geographical regions – that collectively send paging signals and process huge chunks of historical data on device movements between stations. This apparently means DOCOMO can predict future movement patterns and determine the best combination of base stations to re-establish connections as devices move between  these tracking areas.

Pilot tests took place in the Tokai, Chugoku, and Kyushu regions of Japan. When compared to classical methods, the firms say the expanded bandwidth that results from the increased efficiency for base station resources has the potential to ‘greatly reduce’ congestion, which would help Docomo maintain quality network traffic flow even during heavy usage.

“We anticipate that our quantum optimization strategy will further refine network efficiency, allowing us to maintain high-quality service without additional infrastructure investments as network traffic increases,” said Takatoshi Okagawa, director of research and development strategy at NTT Docomo. “With D-Wave’s hybrid quantum technology, we aim to set a new standard in the telecommunications industry for operational performance.”

Alan Baratz, CEO of D-Wave, added: “Telcos are faced with a slew of increasing operational complexities — from 5G implementation to ever-shifting consumer demands — and need novel solutions to maintain a competitive edge. DOCOMO’s successful pilot sends a clear signal — that today’s quantum technologies are capable of solving telcos’ complex optimization problems, with the potential to elevate customer satisfaction, maintain network performance and mitigate rising infrastructure costs.”

Following this pilot, Docomo plans to deploy the annealing quantum computing solution into production at branch offices across Japan. It is also exploring opportunities to apply quantum optimization across its finance, retail, traffic and logistics business units. If it ends up demonstrating some real gains by doing so, no doubt other operators that haven’t already will start looking into souping-up their own networks with some quantum upgrades.