TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT group, announced today the immediate launch of the renewed SkyWay software development kit (SDK). The new SkyWay SDK makes it easier than ever to implement real-time voice, video and data communication for applications and websites.

People interested planning or developing online communication services may apply to attend a free webinar in person (50 people) or online (100 people) to learn about the renewed SkyWay SDK at NTT Communications' Tokyo headquarters from 3:00pm (JST) on February 23.

Simple to use and supported with extensive documentation, SkyWay does not require special technical skills or knowledge of voice/video communication or constructing servers, and can be used for a wide range of applications, such as online lessons, IoT and robots. To date, SkyWay has been deployed for the development of more than 20,000 services.

SkyWay is suitable for diverse call formats including voice and video, one-to-one and group calls, and video communication while sharing screens. It also is a multiplatform SDK for developing communication services suited to specific industries and business categories. SkyWay assures high-quality real-time communication, as evidenced by its service uptime rate of 99.96% in fiscal 2021. It also achieves high-quality overseas calls by setting up servers to relay communications to/from Asia, North America and Europe[1]. What's more, SkyWay may be used at no charge for service verification and development until the users service is actually launched. Furthermore, fees are adjusted to the scale of service and billing is implemented on a pay-as-you-go billing basis.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, online communication has rapidly diversified and now commonly includes events involving dozens of people as well as communication robots. In response, NTT Com decided to upgrade SkyWay's architecture and release it as a new service with enhanced functions for increased versatility, including:

• More simultaneous callers (expanded from 20 to 100 max.)
• Terminal load reduction according to end-user environment (simulcasting[2] and API for flexible media transmission/reception, such as only specific video/audio)
• Authentication and authorization for controlling transmission of video/audio to each end user

The following are two examples of SkyWay's expanded functionality.

1. Virtual office

SkyWay can be used to create a system for an office-wide presentation reaching up to 100 people, with simulcasting allowing people to receive audio/video suitably adjusted to each user, such as low-resolution video to reduce system and battery load for mobile devices or terminals with low processing power. Also, participation can be controlled for private conferences.

2. Remote work support

SkyWay also can be used to create a system that allows a supervisor to remotely instruct multiple people at a worksite, using video for detailed directions and only audio if simple verbal directions are sufficient. Selective use of video and/or audio enables the system to reach many people with minimum load.

Service applications will be accepted from January 31. For details, please visit the website or contact a NTT Com sales representative, and for service rates, please see here. (Partially in Japanese only)

Looking ahead, NTT Com expects to further upgrade SkyWay by expanding the scale of voice and video calls, enhancing data communications for synchronization of more people, and supporting gaming platforms for live streaming and the metaverse. In addition, voice and video call experiences will be improved. Also, new SkyWay functions for measuring quality and analyzing problems will increasingly upgrade video and voice in diverse environments. Going forward, NTT Com will continue to develop SkyWay-related business to support the further evolution of real-time communication and its easy implementation by nonexperts in a world where people communicate meaningfully through the power of digital technology.

For more information about SkyWay, please visit here.

[1]Technology that enables a terminal to select the most appropriate relay device in order to minimize delay between terminals (granted patent No. 6254620).

[2]Technology for transmitting the same video to different terminals using different bitrates, such as low-resolution to mobile devices with limited processing power and bandwidth and high-resolution to PCs.