NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS and its Hong Kong subsidiary, NTT Com Asia, have announced the commercial launch of the APN InterLink service in Hong Kong, starting November 1, 2025. The service utilizes All-Photonic Network (APN) technology to deliver photonics-based, ultra-low latency connectivity. It is primarily aimed at financial institutions, supporting latency-sensitive applications including trading, algorithmic trading, proximity market data access, and real-time transaction processing.
APN InterLink provides two main solutions for the financial industry. The APN Connection between Data Centers (APN DCLink) interconnects NTT Com Asia’s Financial Data Center and Tai Po Data Center using APN. With the Financial Data Center located near the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, this connection is designed to optimize performance for high-speed, mission-critical operations such as trading and real-time settlements. The APN DedicatedLink enables ultra-low latency connections between any customer facility or data center within Hong Kong, allowing direct access from customer locations to both data centers and the exchange.
NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS reports that robust disaster recovery is supported by the IOWN APN technology, enabling seamless data transmission between distributed sites for enhanced operational efficiency and large-scale disaster countermeasures. The company also plans to expand APN deployment via the Asia Submarine-cable Express (ASE), which connects Tokyo and Hong Kong, and to establish APN hubs throughout Asia to facilitate high-speed, low-latency connections among major financial centers.
For the Japanese market, NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS offers “docomo business APN Plus powered by IOWN,” while NTT Com Asia provides APN InterLink in Hong Kong. Both services are intended to provide high-speed, resilient connectivity across both cities. Pricing and further technical application details are available via the companies’ sales representatives.
The APN service is a component of the IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network) initiative, led by NTT Group and the IOWN Global Forum. APN replaces traditional electronic transmission with optical communication, targeting high capacity, ultra-low latency, and greater energy efficiency in networked infrastructure.
“NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS is providing the IOWN APN service ‘docomo business APN Plus’ in Japan, which has been well received by many customers. We are actively working to connect ‘APN InterLink’, set for commercial deployment in Hong Kong, with Japan’s ‘docomo business APN Plus’ to deliver the service globally. Through this initiative, we aim to further support our customers’ mission-critical applications and business operations,” said Hisashi Fujishima, Senior Executive Officer, Head of Platform Services Division, NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS.
Source: NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS
