SoftBank has started rolling out an “all optical network” in metro areas across Japan, in partnership with Cisco.
The new network eliminates the need for optical-electrical conversion, aiming to cut energy use by around 90% compared to previous setups.
The first phase was completed in Osaka Prefecture in September 2025, and the nationwide rollout is planned to finish by 2027.
SoftBank will use Cisco’s 400G-capable routers and simplified architecture to support growing data demand as AI and next-generation networks expand.
Cisco’s routers use the Silicon One Q200 chip, offering seven times the switching capacity while using half the energy of earlier hardware.
Both firms said the initiative targets increased network capacity and sustainability to meet rising data traffic and environmental requirements in Japan.
🔗 Source: SoftBank
🧠 Food for thought
Implications, context, and why it matters.
SoftBank metro buildout lacks scale metrics to judge impact
- SoftBank says its metro networks cut energy use by 90% by removing optical-electrical conversion and using Cisco’s 400G coherent transceivers. It gives no counts for upgraded sites, capex, or baseline power, so outsiders cannot verify the savings. Phase one finished in Osaka in September 2025. The plan targets nationwide rollout by 2027 but names no prefectures, cities, or connection points.
- In 2023, SoftBank built an all-optical core using Fujitsu’s disaggregated systems (disaggregated systems separate optical hardware from control software so operators can mix vendors) with liquid cooling for similar energy gains. The press release gave no independent measurements or baseline data in production 1.
Vendors and integrators can track OpenZR+ uptake across Japanese carriers
- NTT and KDDI signed a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to standardize optical network technologies including all-photonics architectures. They launched All-Photonics Network (APN) services, fiber connections that keep traffic as light end-to-end for ultra-low latency, in Japan during 2023-2024 23.
- SoftBank uses Cisco’s Routed Optical Network (RON) with OpenZR+ (a Multi-Source Agreement standard for 400G coherent optical transceivers). If that approach spreads, suppliers and equipment vendors can size demand by tracking which carriers trial 400G coherent pluggables in metro networks. Participants include NTT with KDDI, Fujitsu with NEC, plus Rakuten Mobile 45. The work covers Beyond 5G/6G APN projects funded by Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT). Investors should watch whether QSFP-DD pluggable amplifiers that slot into routers gain use beyond Japan in APAC.
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