Softbank profits soar as iPhone subscriptions rise

iPhone 5 cometh !!!!!!! The profits will soar again. If it wasn"t for iphone Softbank would be bankrupt !!!!!

Perhaps with their new found profits, they will give better coverage...Well, we can always hope.

AU CDMA iPhone!!

Wish they would lower the subscription rates, and get better batteries.

Their profits may be soaring, but respect for Softbank is dropping.

I and at least three of my friends are switching to Docomo come the Spring collection. Sim-free phones to be accepted, best quality connection, 4G from Docomo first etc.

Four of my friends with iPhones including myself have been receiving emails up to a week late since Christmas, it's pathetic.

Softbank is a monopoly. No competition, and there customer service, support is awful just like its owner.

If we can get Softbank to be at Docomos throat and vice a versa, we may one day have cheaper prices and better service here on the Galapgo J islands.

FireyRei: Good luck to you and your three friends with docomo's 4G. If their 4G is anything like their FOMA then it'll be limited in coverage and slow despite promises that are only technical possibilities and very likely not reality! Phonearena reports (Google docomo 4g) that only a few larger cities will have 4G and only with data at extremely high cost – 5GB/m for $80! LTE, docomo calls it Xi, is a process, is still in process and hasn't arrived yet! Why pay for a second rate service when WLAN, not to mention WiMAX, is very likely available in most places the new service will be for a longish while. Elbudamexicano: Docomo has already announced that mobile phone service prices are to be radically reduced very soon and as Softbank is usually at the forefront of such developments, viz. YBB where communication service price cutting all began, they will probably not be far behind. And finally, the iPhone is only the first really successful smartphone, there'll be many more – with Android OS. KDDI au's IS03 is worth a try if you like to play system engineer, otherwise iPhone. I've got both and like them both for different reasons.

Happily changed from Softbank to au. Was totally ripped off by sftbank.

jkanda: How were you ripped off? I'm sure details would help others avoid such treatment. I have always had very good service from SoftBank.

Skeper, easy to get details. Read the white plan, every word carefully. eg. How many calls do you make from say 9am to noon? Who are they trying to fool? Had Softbank for more than 2 years and had on average 20,000 yen bills.You seem to be very loyal to Sbank? Good luck.

Jkanda: Pretty clear what went wrong there; the white plan is OK if you ONLY call SB/Disney users. For others you get charged normal fees. As you said, it's in the small print. To choose the right plan to keep costs down you need to create a good relationship with someone at SB to get the best plan for your needs. Also applies to KDDI au. The worst service is docomo - for customers technically backward, as I mentioned in a previous post, and then haughty, rude and unhelpful personal service, and to top it off expensive!

Good realtionship with the SB,AU,DMO might work out well. But I found that asking the questions a hundred times, what will be the total cost for this month will be necessary. I sometimes find the sales persons repeating their sales songs over and over again but not answering the question. Then they take out the appli. form and start filling the form.During the process they start explaining that there will be a first month downpayment for the device. It happened to me when I got a wifi USB. Min. monthly payment is 980y. Max. 5770. That is all. Total. 0y starting fee. And then you come home and install the device. There is a monthly fee of 525y. Why did they not tell me this before? I would have included that 525y and not been puzzled. Ofcourse I know that the Service provider is necessary. So I guess, being more upfront and transparent is the best sales tactic.

goddog: Actually, if you compare rates here with other nations it's not all that unreasonable. Many other countries don't have a flat rate internet access plan under $100 on top of everything else, whereas the 'packet houdai' plan here has a roof of 4900 yen or so. The whole 'two year contract' thing, with massive penalties if you bail early, is a bit heavy, but that's not limited to iPhone at all.

Anyway, Docomo and AU were so utterly insane to reject iPhone.

As far as I understand, Softbank has been operating its mobile phone service using 1 bandwidth as opposed to 2 for Docomo and KDDI, which is the reason behind the inferior coverage. Softbank is slated to receive a 2nd bandwidth in 2012 or 2013. When it does, my bet is that their coverage, which is not too bad even now (especially considering that it's been a one-legged racer running against two-legged competitors), will easily best that of its competitors, attracting even more users. As far as rates go, Softbank has a track record of upsetting the status quo and pushing rates down. To wit: Its participation in ADSL helped spur competition and destroy the ossified price structure, leading to the lowest prices in the world. As an ADSL user, I am very grateful. Once Softbank is done paying off its 1.8 trillion yen debt for the purchase of Vodafone, it will have lots of leeway to further lower its rates, assuming it hangs on to its high profit margins.