TOKYO, Japan, Feb 25, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced today that it successfully demonstrated the operation of AI applications directly on the general-purpose CPU resources of virtualized radio access network (vRAN), deployed in its commercial network. This demonstration confirmed the potential of a network architecture design to address rapid traffic growth driven by the expansion of AI services while optimizing network operational costs.

With the growing adoption of AI-powered services such as generative AI and robot control, network traffic is expected to increase dramatically, and data traffic is expected to grow explosively in the coming years. DOCOMO has been exploring a next-generation network architecture design of “In-Network Computing,“*1 *2 in which AI processing is executed within the network itself. For telecommunications operators entering the AI era, continuously analyzing various types of data available within the network using AI by creating new value, while simultaneously achieving energy efficiency and sustainable network operations, has become a critical challenge.DOCOMO has been studying next-generation network architectures aimed at improving user experience, optimizing network traffic, and enabling optimal placement and effective utilization of computing resources, including various types of xPUs, by fully leveraging their respective characteristics. Specifically, DOCOMO seeks to enhance performance and efficiency for customers from both networking and AI perspectives by appropriately deploying high-performance GPUs - one of the key elements for advanced AI workloads - and CPUs, which are well suited for wide-area deployment and low-power, efficient operation, at suitable network nodes.

DOCOMO integrated a platform that enables vRAN functions and AI service applications to run simultaneously by utilizing CPU resources on general-purpose servers. The results confirmed that even when using CPUs, a certain level of AI processing can be executed in parallel with communication network processing. This achievement demonstrates that flexible operation combining network and AI applications is possible without relying on dedicated high-performance accelerators, thereby expanding viable options for efficient network deployment.

Going forward, DOCOMO will continue to study and promote the optimal placement of computing resources, including CPUs and GPUs, while taking actual traffic characteristics and requirements of various AI applications into account.

Operational Concept

(a) Conventional network architecture

(b) Network Architecture in this demonstration

This demonstration utilized a vRAN configuration composed of the following commercially deployed products:

• vRAN base station software, provided by NEC Corporation
• Virtualization infrastructure hosting the vRAN and AI applications, provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Accelerator cards for accelerating specific computational processing, provided by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
• Servers equipped with the above products, provided by HPE

Looking ahead, DOCOMO will continue to advance integration and verification of platforms for both network infrastructure and AI services toward the realization of “In-Network Computing,“ while pursuing further studies aimed at commercialization. In addition, DOCOMO will work in collaboration with business partners to realize optimal network architecture design for 6G and AI era.

This initiative will be showcased at the NTT Group's booth during Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2026, organized by GSMA and held in Barcelona, Spain, from March 2 to March 5, 2026.

*1 Press Release:“Successful demonstration of computing and mobile networks convergence to provide diverse services in the 6G era“
*2 Press Release:“NTT and DOCOMO Successfully Demonstrates On-Demand Unified Control of Computing Services Through Network and Service Integration“

About NTT DOCOMO

NTT DOCOMO, Japan's leading mobile operator with over 91 million subscribers, is one of the global leaders in 3G, 4G and 5G mobile network technologies. Under the slogan “Bridging Worlds for Wonder & Happiness,” DOCOMO is actively collaborating with global partners to expand its business scope from mobile services to comprehensive solutions, aiming to deliver unsurpassed value and drive innovation in technology and communications, ultimately to support positive change and advancement in global society. https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/

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