Articles from SoftBank Corp.

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO:9434, President & CEO: Junichi Miyakawa, “SoftBank”) announced that its Infrinia Team*1, which works on the development of next-generation AI infrastructure architecture and systems, has developed “Infrinia AI Cloud OS,” a software stack*2 designed for AI data centers.

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO:9434, “SoftBank”) announced that it has developed a new Large Telecom Model (LTM), a generative AI foundation for the telecom industry. The LTM is trained on diverse datasets—ranging from SoftBank’s huge network data to the design, management, and operational know-how the company has accumulated over many years. The LTM enables advanced inference in the design, management, and operation of cellular networks. Moving forward, SoftBank will further advance its research and development efforts, aiming to implement the LTM into its own operations.

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO:9434, “SoftBank”) announced it launched full-fledged initiatives to develop “AITRAS,” a convergence solution based on the AI-RAN concept that can host both AI and RAN (Radio Access Network) workloads on the same NVIDIA-accelerated computing platform. SoftBank will not only implement AITRAS – a carrier-grade convergence solution with high capacity, high performance and high quality – across its own commercial network, it also aims to expand the solution to telecom operators globally from 2026 and beyond.

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO:9434, “SoftBank”) announced it developed the orchestrator that enables AI applications and vRAN (virtualized Radio Access Network) applications to operate on the same virtualized infrastructure, a key concept of AI-RAN. This advancement enables the deployment of high-capacity, high-performance, and high-quality vRAN at a carrier-grade level on virtualized infrastructure running on GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) computing, including the NVIDIA GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip platform. Additionally, the orchestrator enables the integration and provision of various AI applications, such as generative AI, on the same platform.

(TOKYO:9434, “SoftBank”) announced it developed 5G L1* software based on the NVIDIA AI Aerial platform, delivering the high stability and high performance essential for a carrier-grade RAN through parallel signal processing and the optimization of task initiation timing. With this newly developed L1 software, carrier-grade stability has been achieved. In addition to realizing high stability, SoftBank will develop L1 software that can achieve maximized RAN capacity and reduced power consumption.

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434, “SoftBank”) announced that it has acquired approximately 200 patents, including patents pending, for High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) from Alphabet Inc.’s Loon LLC (“Loon”) following the winddown of Loon earlier this year. With these patents, SoftBank and its subsidiary HAPSMobile Inc. (“HAPSMobile”) will collectively own approximately 500 HAPS-related patents, including patents pending, further establishing their position as intellectual property (IP) leaders in the HAPS industry. The patents are related to network technologies, services, operations and aircraft for HAPS.

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434, “SoftBank”) today announced it will start promoting the deployment of Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) solutions that provide connectivity from space and the stratosphere. SoftBank’s NTN solutions will encompass the Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting (GEO) satellite NarrowBand IoT (NB-IoT) services provided by Skylo Technologies, Inc. (“Skylo”), which recently agreed to partner with SoftBank to provide satellite connectivity services in Japan. SoftBank’s NTN solution portfolio will also include Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications to be provided by OneWeb Ltd. (“OneWeb”) and High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS)-based stratospheric telecommunication platforms to be provided by SoftBank subsidiary HAPSMobile Inc. (“HAPSMobile”).

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434, “SoftBank”) and OneWeb, today announced an agreement for mutual cooperation to promote OneWeb’s satellite communication services in the global and Japan markets. SoftBank and OneWeb will promote satellite communication services via the combination of OneWeb services and SoftBank's services, including advanced communication and Digital Transformation (DX) platform services.

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434, “SoftBank”) today announced that it is forming a capital and business alliance with Axiata Digital Advertising Sdn. Bhd. (“ADA”), a Kuala Lumpur-based data and AI company that offers integrated digital marketing solutions in nine Asian countries (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Korea). ADA is a group company of Axiata Group Berhad (“Axiata Group”), a major telecommunications operator in Asia. As part of the agreement, SoftBank will invest approximately 60 million USD in ADA, giving it a 23.1% stake in the company. Furthermore, Daichi Nozaki, SoftBank Vice President and Head of the Enterprise Business Unit’s Global Business Division, will join the ADA board in mid-May 2021.