Company Visit Report No.12 “Toshiba Corporation”


Visited Company: Toshiba Corporation
Date of Interview: 11 January, 2008
Venue for the Interview: Toshiba Corporation Headquarters
Interviewer: Hiro Osawa
   Vice Secretary General,
   PHS MoU Group
Interviewee: Masakazu Shirakawa
   Technology Executive,
   Social Infrastructure Systems Company,
   Toshiba Corporation




1. Please give us a brief introduction of your company.

Toshiba is a world leader and innovator in pioneering high technology, a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products spanning information & communications equipment and systems; digital consumer products; electronic devices and components; power systems; industrial and social infrastructure systems; and home appliances.

In the social infrastructure systems business, Toshiba contributes to society with cutting edge infrastructure management systems and solutions, including radio application systems and broadcasting and network systems.

Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 670 companies, with over 191,000 employees worldwide, and annual sales surpassing US$60 billion.


2. Could you please introduce us Toshiba Group's corporate philosophy?

Toshiba Group's Corporate Philosophy emphasizes respect for people, creation of new value, and contribution to society.
The Group slogan, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future, TOSHIBA”, expresses the essence of our corporate philosophy. We recognize that it is our corporate social responsibility (CSR) to put our philosophy and slogan into practice in our day to day business activities. In doing so, we accord the highest priority to human life & safety and legal compliance.


3. What is the relationship between the Group's telecommunication departments with PHS MoU Group?

Toshiba corporate has adopted “in-house company” system as its management structure, and manages 8 in-house companies. Among them, Semiconductor Company, Mobile Communications Company and Social Infrastructure Systems Company are involved in PHS business.


4. Could you please introduce us your commodity related to PHS and other advantageous business fields of your company?

In semiconductors' field, RF ICs and baseband LSIs for PHS are our main products. We also provide PHS handsets, base stations, and multifunctional boards, which are installed in PHS base stations and convert PIAFS data from and to PHS terminals into modem signal for interworking. As to network infrastructure products, we provide ITX nodes which realize PHS network service, in conjunction with PHS base stations, over IP transport network instead of ISDN network.

5. Please brief your contribution to the development of PHS by now.

We started development of PHS related products in around 1990’s. The first product was a cordless PBX system, including handsets, and base stations for private operation, which has been provided since 1992, followed by products for public PHS operators in 1994. We have provided base stations for two PHS operators and handsets for three operators.


6. Please brief us your infrastructural products.

Toshiba’s major infrastructural product is the equipment called ITX (IP Transit eXchange). ITX is an exchange node which converts PHS traffics into IP packets. There are three kinds of variants depending on the usage. They are ITXe, ITXg and ITX-RT.

  • ITXe：An edge node which serves base stations and changes voice or data traffics into IP packets;
  • ITXg：A gateway node which interwork with other networks;
  • ITX-RT：A remote termination device which is a part of ITXe, and is suitable for serving small size area.




    • In terms of service features, ITX holds VoIP function to convert voice into IP packets, IP conversion function to change data into IP packets at high-speed, function to provide ISDN circuits for PBXs, and mobile centrex function for enterprise users.


    7. Please introduce us the major characters of ITX and the merits to introduce the system.

    ITX has been developed step by step. The merits to introduce the system can be concluded into 4 aspects:

  • By replacing ISDN network with IP network, flat-rate service is realized.
  • By adopting IP communication technology, call setup time is shortened and data communication speed, which is restricted in case of using ISDN circuits for connecting a base station, is accelerated with the introduction of IP interface for base stations
  • By providing several types of ITXs from large to small size, operators can build its own network which can replace ISDN economically.
  • By combining PBXs with ITXs, mobile centrex and FMC (Fixed Mobile Convergence) services are realized.


    • When Next-generation PHS network is commercialized in future, we expect ITX can contribute to the convergence of the existing PHS network with Next-generation PHS network.


    8. What strategy have you adopted concerning the reliability of telecommunication infrastructure system?

    As one of the infrastructural components, base stations, that are not redundant usually as an equipment, are designed redundant by installing multiple base stations to serve　the same place. On the other hand, in case of core network equipments, the reliability of switching nodes like ITX and the reliability of IP transport network should be certainly considered. We understand both equipments meet the required degree of reliability, such as duplicated units, and N+1 redundancy architecture, and ITX also applies.

    Besides, although IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) architecture is introduced recently, we consider it is both important and necessary to disperse the facilities physically as well as geographically, so as to let them sustain functions in case of disaster.


    9. What do you think of the prospective of PHS as it is to share the source of 2.5GHz band with WiMax in future?

    The decision to grant 2.5GHz licenses to WiMax and Next-generation PHS in Japan is welcomed, as it is expected to help propel activities in Japanese telecommunication industry. By competition, technical characteristics of each technology will be pushed forward, and PHS is advantageous especially in field of data communication thanks to its micro cell system. By obtaining the 2.5GHz license, PHS will be able to be operated on both 1.9GHz and 2.5GHz band. Therefore, the Japanese PHS operator is expected to provide attractive and special services on dual frequencies. For overseas market, practical usage of Next-generation PHS on 1.9GHz band will be preferentially considered due to license restrictions.


    10. What will be done in future as the development of Next-generation PHS system is on its way?

    Toshiba expects to make contribution to PHS industry in each business domain such as semiconductors, handsets, and infrastructure systems. Based on the achievement made by ITX, we especially hope to be admitted as the core network provider for Japanese as well as overseas PHS operators. For that reason, we are willing to consider any possible partnership with other vendors, if necessary.


    11. What do you think would be good to do in order to expand Next-generation PHS?

    It is important for the Next-generation PHS to be acknowledged internationally in order to expand it. It is especially important to continue reinforcing information exchange and technical cooperation with the current PHS operators, taking Asia as the focused area. Moreover, participation to any internationally acknowledged industrial exhibitions and strong promotion activities are essential to help build worldwide reputation.