Japanese operator currently counts 400,000 Wi-Fi sites throughout the country
Japanese mobile telephony operator Softbank Mobile has made available its nationwide Wi-Fi network for visitors to Japan. The operator plans a July 1 launch of free Wi-Fi service for visitors dubbed “Free Wi-Fi Passport.”
With SoftBank Mobile free Wi-Fi service, users will only need to dial a dedicated number with their mobile phones at no charge to complete registration. The service, which supports English, Chinese and Korean, will not require the download of a special application. SoftBank Mobile said that the trial service will run until next March.
“One common complaint among visitors to Japan is that there is a lack of free Wi-Fi. There are a number of services already, but they require online pre-registration or app downloads. The Japanese government is also concerned with this situation, especially given that Japan will host the Summer Olympics in 2020,” SoftBank Mobile spokesman Matthew Nicholson told RCR Wireless News.
“SoftBank Mobile already has 400,000 Wi-Fi spots located throughout Japan to serve its subscriber base. Without making any additional capital expenditures, we are opening this network up to visitors,” Nicholson said, adding that the upcoming launch will also benefit the operator, as it will learn more about usage patterns.
“We can apply our learnings to future service ideas,” he added.
Nicholson said that there are some facilities in Japan offering completely free and open Wi-Fi. However, he pointed out that SoftBank Mobile’s Wi-Fi service is the only service offering traceability to prevent unauthorized use.
SoftBank Mobile expects total capital expenditures to reach $3.12 billion in fiscal year 2015, ending March 31, 2016. Nicholson said that the operator will invest a similar figure during fiscal year 2016.
“Most of this capex will go into further improving our wireless network so we can maintain our leading position in smartphone data connectivity and smartphone communication speeds. We will also continue to improve and expand our LTE network,” Nicholson said.
Softbank Mobile offers TD-LTE and FDD-LTE services across Japan. The operator, which owns a majority stake in U.S. operator Sprint, launched the two LTE networks in 2012.
