Report from WILLCOM Forum & Expo. 2008
-- Principal Lecture

Principal Lecture
Part I
By Mr. Masaki Kikugawa, President of WILLCOM Inc.

Mr. Kikugawa made a speech about the direction of WILLCOM’s future development on the forum.

1  Market
Despite that the number of Japan’s mobile users has climbed to over 100 million in total, its recent development has been stagnant. On one hand, it is said that Japanese makers has lost 5% shares of their overseas telecom market. One the other hand, it is interesting to notice that information tends to flow in Tokyo area on domestic market.

2  Strategy
WILLCOM is investing in products with development potentials in this saturated market.  The following products were cited as examples.

  1. Terminal D4, which is defined as a model of Ultra Mobile PC able to operate under multipurpose OS environment.
  2. Terminal 03, which absorbs advantages of several earlier smart phone models.
  3. Terminal HONEY BEE, which is known for its user-friendly operation system and distinguished design.
  4. Felica (*1) corresponding terminals, which are developed as adherents to daily life.
    (*1) Felica: A technique of non-contact type of IC card
3  Execution
Below is the introduction of some of the business activities WILLCOM is executing. 

  1. To Build an Open Platform with the World

    WILLCOM has postponed the development of PHS terminals for China market, while co-developing overseas interface of W-SIM, a PHS communication module, together with China Netcom. Besides, overseas vendors have successfully adopted W-SIM concept in GSM system, which is in accord with WILLCOM’s strategy to apply its privileged technical invention to an open platform other than PHS.

  2. To Contribute to Dissolving Digital Divide

    There are still many places in the world that computers can be connected to internet due to the lack of ADSL circuit. This phenomenon exists simple because telecom operators have to6.jpgtake cost into consideration in laying out circuit. The speech takes a place in Yamagata Prefecture as an example of solution with wireless internet provided by WILLCOM.

    In this case, WILLCOM helped to realize internet access for a primary school by building a tower at the height of 30 meters for base station 30 meters away from it. With PHS’ wireless access technology, the environment that allows plural PCs in classrooms to be connected to internet simultaneously is accomplished. Comparing to the earlier time when students has to wait in line to use internet that was connected to only one circuit, the current educational environment is improved.

    Besides, a live show of students at this primary school was broadcasted during the speech. Students’ image and voice was live transmitted through PHS network to the conference hall in Tokyo. Even with the existing PHS network resource, film was smoothly broadcasted.

  3. To Explore New Market of Wireless Broadband

    Based on its distinguished transmission speed and 160,000 network bases countrywide, WILLCOM is setting to establish Camera Supervision and Sensing Network Seminar. In fact, we have already have the device that is adopted in car navigation system to report congestion situation live. Camera is installed to provide congestion situation at base station.

    The work to connecting a camera with a sensing network, (a) can be conducted simultaneously when PHS cells are installed to save cost, (b) or can become simplified by making use of the existing location resource of WILLCOM’s 160,000 base stations, which is an application of WILLCOM’s forte.

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Principal Lecture
Part II
By Mr. Ariyoshi Kitaoka, Medical Doctor

Mr. Kitaoka is the person who made DOKO-KARU. DOKO refers to wherever and KARU refers to medical record in Japanese. DOKO-KARU is a system that enables access of a patient’s clinical record regardless of the patient’s location. A medical staff with access to DOKO-KARU will be able to understand a patient’s identity, medical history, content of undergoing treatment, medicine being taken, family doctor and other essential information in a place other than hospital. This information can contribute hugely to the initial treatment on first-aid spot.

Mr. Kitaoka initiated this DOKO-KARU telecom network independently. The network adopts wireless virtual private network at 802.11e frequency, which is also called MIAKO-net. It covers an area of 4km in radius from Kyoto Station initially. As it becomes difficult to expand area and build network independently, he switched his attention to existing mobile and PHS networks that have completed their coverage across the country. Finally, XGP is chosen as the network to build DOKO-KARU system taking into consideration of the following reasons. PHS gives out very small electromagnetic wave and it is originally used as internal lines in hospitals. As the successive technology of PHS, XGP can provide the speed at over 20Mbps. XGP is the best choice for DOKO-KARU system as it can to be used safely in hospital as well as in non-hospital environment. 

Besides DOKO-KARU, Pocket Medical Record system is also decided to be built on WILLCOM’s infrastructure. Pocket Medical Record allows patient to have his/her own medical record in PHS terminal, so that (a) the patient can get a second opinion anytime and anywhere, (b) examination and treatment can be made in the most proper way when the patient is accepted as a new patient in an emergency case.  Hospital used to obtain a new patient’s information through Hospi-Net, which has been operated for years. But Mr. Kitaoka believes that the equipment adopted in Hospi-Net is outdated and it is time to initiate a brand-new system based on WILLCOM network.  

PHS is know for its safety to be used in hospital environment owning to its low electromagnetic wave, XGP, as the next generation PHS can provide a communication speed of over 20Mbps. It is believed that WILLCOM is to contribute even more to medial industry in future.