Introduction



			High level information network growth is increasing rapidly within our business and daily life. This is being realized through the use of computer networks in which personal computers play a central role. In the computing environment from now into the future, the keywords will be open networks and multimedia systems, along with overwhelming growth of network technology. To meet with the rapid demand at the international level to facilitate such networks, Oi electric has been accumulating superior base technology and application technology over a period of many years. For example, we have been manufacturing various information and communication products that are indispensable for construction of information networks, such as voice and video transmission equipment that utilize optical fiber networks and multimedia multiplex equipment that facilitate the LAN systems used in company premises. From now, high level networks using the INTRANET will rapidly progress to facilitate wideband LAN systems in the company premises or joint corporation networks, as well as to further develop electronics commerce. Within such areas, Oi electric is integrating its three fields of operation and technologies, that is, telecommunication, mobile communication and measuring instruments, to supply state of the art products for network solutions that look ahead to the 21st century.

			Since its establishment, Oi Electric has promoted innovative technology development and product production in the telecommunications field. This technology now holds an important place within telecommunication networks such as wired communication, radio communication and data processing, and plays as active role in many parts of our daily life. For example, the process of safely sending electricity from a dam or power plant to each home includes such systems as the "OEC dam processing system", "Long distance supervisory and control system", "Protection relay equipment", and the "Distribution situation indicating system". As well, to make life in cities safer and more comfortable, we are developing a "Disaster management system" as well as multimedia networks for offices that make good use of our cutting edge technology. Japan's very first pager, the personal communication device which typifies the 90s, was developed and produced by Oi Electric in 1963. In 1970, we developed the bell dial equipment that drives extension telephones and switching systems. Along with the rise in popularity of pagers in the 90's, we have been producing popular products whose high performance features and compact light weight design has been made possible through the use our original accumulated technology. Using this technology characteristics to Oi Electric as the core ingredient, we are carrying out even more in depth technology development and product development for new fields. The focus of this development covers a wide range of areas including correspondence to telecommunication network, radio data communication, instruments for fields maintenance etc., and through the use of highly original technology, we are presenting system proposals based on market needs for a rapidly diversifying high level information oriented society.


				Since its establishment, our telecommunication equipment division has made good use of our originally developed communication technologies, such as data transmission and carrier relay technology, and has delivered a large number of highly praised products to electric power companies,government and public agencies, and companies in the communications industry etc.. For example, data concentrators and distributors, supervisory and control equipment, optical image transmission equipment through optical cable and network equipment, all incorporate the abundant communications technology that our company has developed over a period of many years.


				Through wide spread use of pagers, our mobile communication equipment division has become known by a large portion of the general public. Currently, our pagers are gaining praise for their small size, high performance and superior quality, and a large number are being exported overseas. Besides public use and on-site use pagers, we also handle such products as bell dial systems(on-site use pager control devices), PCMCIA cardtype pagers, and specific low-power transceivers etc., and corresponding to the rapid of PHS, we are providing PHS base stations to communication industry.


				Our instrument division in involves in the development and production of many types of measuring instruments that use the optical related technology and digital/analog circuit technology that we have accumulated over a period of many years. This division is also aggressively developing and improving system instruments that correspond to changes in communication networks.