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SoftBank unveils lower data usage fees after gov't pressure

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I wonder if this will endear Suga to the masses?

At least he has got it done.......all of his predecessors promised the same but it just amounted to hot air.

Not a Suga fan,and I wouldn't be surprised at all that the smartphone fee reduction plan was Nippon Kaigi's attempt to win over the newly poor.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

It truely amazes me.. this cartel behaviour in Japan is everywhere. Suga should be tackling the rental sector 'Key' money, 'thank you' money, 2 year 'renewal' fees, guarantor fees ... and regulate those insane fusosan fees!

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Too little, too late. I've been using those cheap plans from Big Camera for years now. No need to spend more than 1,500 yen a month.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I wonder there's no mention of Rakuten Mobile in this article, considering they were the first to bring in low-priced packages and will potentially be the biggest threat to the established players in the years to come. Strange reporting...

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Two things about these cheaper options. First I have heard that they are piggybacking off of the big three providers, but that their speeds are not the same as what the big three offer. Also, I've heard that their service is far more spottier out in the country than in city centers. Two things to consider. I for one am waiting for AU to drop its prices and I will change contracts straight away.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

...under a new budget brand with messaging app operator Line Corp. 

Hmm. We already use Line Mobile on the Softbank network. I wonder if this will just be another option on Line Mobile, or a new joint brand?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Changed to Rakuten last month. Its free, everything (for 1 year). Beat that.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I use IIJMIO not only for my phone but also for my home internet and it is much more cheaper than these offerings.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Two things about these cheaper options. First I have heard that they are piggybacking off of the big three providers, but that their speeds are not the same as what the big three offer. 

This may be true for MVNO's using the Docomo network. I never had good speeds with IIJMio or Line Mobile on the Docomo network, despite its reputation for robustness.

However, once I switched our Line Mobile accounts over to the Softbank network, speeds went way way up. Seriously, no comparison. Not even close. Night and day.

So, I don't think Softbank is throttling MVNO's, at least not Line Mobile. But, Docomo certainly seems to be, at least with IIJMio and Line.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I changed to Rakuten from docomo. It's free for one year then 2500yen ish per month after than. Can also be cancelled for free if you don't like it. I've had both docomo and SoftBank in the past, both utter ripoffs and you get trapped in the contracts with the 1man yen leaving fee.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Good For Suga for ordering these price drops. Some corporations clearly think of profits too much.

Next up, he should order price reductions by electricity companies and gas corporations. 20-30% drops would be a good start.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I changed to Rakuten from docomo. It's free for one year then 2500yen ish (2980) per month after than.

Yeah on that now and that at full 5G or 4G speed. Also, changed my fibre over as well. That also completely free for a year. Then just 3980 per month, I think. And no connection fees, or other hidden stuff and can cancel anytime.

BIC Iijimio et al was ok but really slow, since piggyback off one of main carriers.

Still, will NEVER go back to the cartel. Was ripped off year after year. They screw you anyway they can. Don't understand how people put up with it.

Any one of the cartel members at almost 7,000 unlimited and then on top of that, a THREE year contract, plus options that are almost impossible to cancel ???

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Central government decreeing the price of anything is a disaster.

The correct policy measures would have been to ensure competition and availability of price information.

But this is the country where the central bank is the biggest owner of shares in the stock market, so yeah thinking that this is a free market economy is wrong on my part.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

There never was competition between the big 3 , just a cartel and protectionism.

Suga only stepped in to kill of Rakuten. Rakuten can not further drop its prices and can not sustain the losses for more than another year.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I got 100 of thousands of free minutes and texts credit toward my phone

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Suga only stepped in to kill of Rakuten

Maybe his intentions are good, but policies need to be judged by their ultimate outcomes, rather than those good intentions.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

¥3,000 for 20GB and unlimited five minutes calls is good. If you only data then yes other providers are good but they also charge for the calls.

Plus, they will have a Y1000 option for unlimited calling, with no time limit. So, Y4000 for 20GB and unlimited calling is not bad at all. Plus, if they continue Line Mobile's policy of data used for the Line app not counting towards the plan's data usage, and the low-cost data-free options for Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, etc, it will be a pretty good deal.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

FYI, it appears that Line Mobile will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Softbank. So, it will no longer be an MVNO but an actual MNO. I wonder what that means for Y!Mobile, their current low-cost brand? I can't imagine them carrying two low-cost brands in addition to the parent.

I also wonder how it will affect LM users who currently use the Docomo or au networks? Also, this explains their push the last few months to get users to switch their plans from D and A lines over to SB, which I took advantage of a few months ago.

I'm looking forward to seeing what they'll be offering us existing users in March! This one plan can't be the only change.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Anybody still charge for text

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I am in the process of gathering evidence to sue Softbank for Contractual Fraud. Assuming I have still the paperwork, (over a 10 year period), I will then be asking the Government to revoke Softbank's license to trade. They're ripping off the Consumer, and should be put out of business immediately.

Sadly, Softbank does not have a uniform approach to English Support - so they will sadly, end up suddenly with a Japanese Barrage of Legal queries which will I hope become the next big thorn in their foot going forward apart from a "cease and desist" order along with a winding up order for damages. I wouldn't recommend holding their stock in the near future... it may fluctuate...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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