It was on June 19, 2001. I was shocked by an article that had made it to the front page of The Nikkei Newspaper. It was the rise of a groundbreaking communication service that provides ADSL lines to the consumer market at a fixed rate of 3,000 yen a month. It was as if I was hit on the back of the head. Personally, I welcomed such communication service for a low, fixed price. It was a sign that meant widespread adoption of broadband services in the consumer market. And before we knew it, the talk had spread all over the company.

Development of VoIP gateway using broadband

We could not allow this opportunity to pass. We had been focusing on new businesses using broadband and were waiting for the opportune moment. And overnight, the opportunity suddenly appeared triggered by the drop in ADSL prices. The shift to broadband would accelerate. It would be a major business chance if we could develop a product fully utilizing the technologies cultivated by OKI.

The concept of IP telephony services using broadband lines by telecommunication carriers had existed for years. However, no one guessed that such services would start so soon. Up until then, we figured that voice would be integrated into IP networks after the spread of broadband. But the scenario of broadband and IP telephony disseminating at the same time was becoming more and more a reality. As opposed to our assumptions, there was now a possibility that IP telephony would be provided as a tool for spreading broadband—a "killer application." We couldn't let this business chance pass by.

While such thoughts spun around my head, I was approached by the person in charge of operations with an idea to develop a broadband product equipped with VoIP features that can be used as an indoor broadband device within the year.