Battle to sell iPhone heats up as Softbank undercuts KDDI on monthly fees

Either way, I think a lot of people will be switching to AU. Unfortunately Softbank's reception can be less than desirable in many areas, especially where I am living. Up until recently my husband couldn't even get reception at his parents house which is a block away from our city hall.

On to the nuts and bolts of this. My Softbank 2-year iPhone contract ended many months ago and I've just been paying the data plan fee since then. What does this mean for switchers? Bad news. It turns out I could've quit SB without penalty within the 30 days of contract end. But past that point, it renews as another 2-year data contract. If I quit now, in the middle, there is a cancel fee that destroys any price difference or savings. What greedy prats!

I read that Softbank intentionally priced all their iPhone data plans so far 1000 yen cheaper than other smartphones, to gain market share. Is that still true? How much are the Android data plans? Or is it all the same now?

Seems ridiculous that the data plan fee would differ by handset, but that is basically the kind of irrational fleecing that you get when a few big players have an effective monopoly in the telecom/internet world. Tryng to make sense of all the plans on the SB site is futile. There is nothing but a giant jumble ridden with footnotes and exceptions. The only thing I've noticed the whole time I've had cellphones, whether here or in the US, is that the bill I get, no matter what I do, is about twice what the monthly advertised charge is.

kddi rock. softbank require far too many details from gaijin, like passport details, credit cards, etc. got my android from kddi with only my alien reg card.

this is incredible. Two Japanese companies that haven't colluded to fix prices!

Android.

Softbank are clueless, a lot of punters want signal, they want their phone to work, in buildings, in valleys, on ski mtns, at the beach. I don't care if its 500yen cheaper, I will pay more for decent signal, I already do. I am with docomo I pay them the extra $$$ for the decent network coverage they offer. heck I would most likely have gotten an iphone had docomo gone with the iphone, but as it turned out I went android and there is no turning back for me now.

I want to switch. The only problem is getting all your friends to switch at the same time. I'll take any discount I can get though. So will this lower subscription fee apply to Iphone 4 users as well?

hmmmm. will see the area first then decide to change

Really, people will go out and buy a phone just because Steve Jobs passed away? Sympathy for a fortune 500 company that is famous for its sweat shop practices in China? What are we coming to. It is a damn phone!

GREAT! I was afraid that the two companies would mutually agree to price-gouge the customers, as is usually the case when good competition could help everyone involved (especially consumers). So, I'm glad to see that they're trying to undercut each other. Might be best to wait for an AU response, then the Softbank counter-response before buying.

I wonder if KDDI will allow foreigners to get a phone without using a credit card. I understand the reason behind this Softbank policy, but it makes ya feel like a crook or something. It is good that there is some competition going on, competition seems to be a rare thing here. It's all about maintaining the WA I guess.

Welcomed news. I really hopw they start cutting calling fees or adding unlimited calling plans to any carrier/landline.

I'm with Softbank, but I don't have a credit card. Then again, I began 7 years ago (have an iPhone4 now), so maybe the rules were different back then.

I'd like to see an article detailing the different plans they announced yesterday. There's an iPad2 one too, but I feel like I'm missing some nuance when I read the japanese version, and I can't find an english one.

Great News! Competition is good and always welcomed! Consumers will benefit. Softbank will need to start setting up more antennas to stay competitive and maintain their share of customers , i hear they have terrible reception. All around good for consumers, Yeehaa! Woo woo Yeah! It's all good

This is the price plan announced today by Softbank: http://imgur.com/tEZv1

I just signed up for AU, which initially I wished to go for Softbank but apparently Softbank staff told me that as a foreigner here, I need to pay for the handset which is more than 50,000 Yen... incredibly ridiculous so I went for AU and pay 0 Yen for the handset. Thanks very much AU

I just purchase a new 4g HTC from Sprint which is better Softbank or Sprint.

@Michael J. Morris: people are not ordering the 4S because of Jobs death. I recommend you research the Siri function that most people don't understand so far. But it is the next big thing about technology, wait a few weeks and see.

@LostinNagoya I believe that was said because of the article itself:

"However, some analysts say consumer demand could be shaped by an outpouring of emotion surrounding this week’s death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs."

I find it hard to believe that people would buy because of Jobs' death, but then i'm not an Apple Fanboi and have never seen the appeal anyway.

I do not recall softbank saying they roll your contract into another two year contract after it expires. That is bad business. Is it true? I do not want to be locked into another two year contract at all. Why can't we get monthly contracts like we can in _America?

KDDI is expensive for iPhone 4... this is not competitive prices. They should be aggressive with prices. KDDI has failed to be competitive. I thought KDDI would be different, but I guess they don't "Think Different!" A bigger scrooge.

Who gives a damn...

After all, they're just silly little devices with a screen and silly software or other...

There are a million more important things than a silly little iPhone or Android phone or whatever...