Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) has introduced 1.9-GHz Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) system which adopts the PHS wireless interface on Tokunoshima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture. The FWA service commenced at the end of January 2000 in the Inutabu district of Isen Town on the island.
The purposes and outline of the introduction are as follows.

1. Purposes
Located about 470 km south of Kagoshima on the Japanese mainland, Tokunoshima Island is often found to be on the route of a typhoon. Accordingly, aerial cables and drop wires opt to break down there. When such damages are extensive, it takes a long time to recover, thereby requiring a sizable amount of maintenance cost. Many wooden poles that need to be replaced with artificial poles still remain. The 1.9-GHz FWA system was introduced on this remote island because it allows for construction of systems resistant to natural disasters and require little maintenance, and also because adoption of this system leads to a drastic reduction in the metal facilities renovation cost. Introduction of the 1.9-GHz system in the Inutabu region is expected to bring down the wooden pole replacement cost while leading to the removal of telephone poles, aerial cables and drop wires from the region. Thus, very positive results such as prevention of telecommunications services suspension, more effective system maintenance and reduced costs can be brought about, in addition to helping to preserve the natural environment and scenery.

Fig. Inutabu district

2. Outline
The Inutabu region is a farming area composed mainly of sugarcane fields at the southwestern end of the island. With about 50 subscribers expected per square kilometer, FWA is quite suitable for this area because the land is relatively flat and there are almost no tall buildings that prevent the propagation of radio waves. The most remarkable thing about the Inutabu system is that wireless networks are established using switch stations throughout to subscriber residences. In terms of systems configuration, the wireless entrance can accommodate all wireless communications linking FWA Access Controllers (WAC) installed at switch stations and FWA Cell Stations (WCS) set up at the center of respective communities, through use of radio relay stations (RS), depending on the necessity. At the same time, FWA Subscriber Units (WSU) in the Inutabu region, normally installed near the subscriber houses, are installed inside the houses. In phase 1, NTT began offering the FWA service to 116 analog telephone and one ISDN service subscribers in portions of the region covered by three WCSs. The service is being operated smoothly. NTT plans to begin phase 2 systems installation from the third quarter of fiscal 2000, targeting the remaining subscribers.

Photo Facilities installed