TOKYO-Chubu Telemessage Inc., a paging carrier based in central Japan, will shut down its business by March 2000. The carrier’s subscribers-109,000 at the end of September 1999-are expected to be taken over by NTT Tokai Mobil Communications Network, the regional operator of NTT DoCoMo.
Like many other Japanese paging carriers, Chubu Telemessage accumulated debts because many former beeper users have switched to either PHS or cellular services. Chubu Telemessage’s subscriber base peaked at 590,000 in June 1997, but has shrunk since then.
Since Tokyo Telemessage Inc., the largest non-NTT beeper carrier in Tokyo, ended its services last May, several other carriers followed suit. Other beeper carriers terminating services include Kansai Telemessage, Ehime Telemessage, Kagawa Telemessage, Kochi Telemessage, Kyushu Telemessage and Yamanashi Telemessage.
