Japan opens its hard-to-crack mobile market to new carriers

Iria · Nov 10, 2005, 12:07 AM

TOKYO - New competition is coming to the rich but hard-to-penetrate Japanese mobile phone market, as the government decides to allot unused bandwidth to three new wireless players, Softbank, eAccess and IP Mobile.

On Wednesday, the Japanese ministry that oversees communications said it would allow the three local companies to offer new mobile services as early as next year.

There are high hopes among many in the industry that these aspiring new carriers will shake up Japan's cellular market, which is now divided among three large carriers: NTT DoCoMo, KDDI and Vodafone, which is based in London. The decision on Wednesday marked the first time in 11 years that the government had opened bandwidth to new carriers.
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Read More / Source: International Herald Tribune

Nov 10, 2005, 12:07 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Japan opens its hard-to-crack mobile market to new carriers TOKYO - New competition is coming to the rich but hard-to-penetrate Japanese mobile phone market, as the government decides to allot unused bandwidth to three new wireless players, Softbank, eAccess and IP Mobile. On Wednesday, the Japanese ministry that oversees communications said it would allow the three local companies to offer new mobile services as early as next year. There are high hopes among many in the industry that these aspiring new carriers will shake up Japan's cellular market, which is now divided among three large carriers: NTT DoCoMo, KDDI and Vodafone, which is based in London. The decision on Wednesday marked the first time in 11 years that the government had opened bandwidth to new carriers. ____________ Read More / Source: International Herald Tribune