SoftBank has launched a new service enabling smartphones to connect directly to SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, aiming to ensure reliable communication even during disasters.
SoftBank said it will effectively raise monthly mobile fees by up to 550 yen, following similar moves by NTT Docomo and KDDI, meaning all three major carriers in Japan have now implemented price increases.
As Japan’s fiscal year draws to a close on March 31st, a range of systems and services are being phased out, including the so-called “3G mobile network service” once synonymous with traditional feature phones known as “garakei,” which officially ended on March 31.
A nostalgic era of Japan’s once-ubiquitous feature phones is coming to a close, with 3G mobile communication services set to end at the end of March, prompting a final wave of device upgrades and intensifying competition among telecom carriers to secure remaining users.
Japan’s phone environment is set for sweeping changes in 2026, with mobile numbers nearing exhaustion and long-standing services such as feature phones, the Town Page directory and the 104 information line all coming to an end.
AI is now being used both to commit fraud and to uncover it, as authorities and companies increasingly deploy artificial intelligence to counter sophisticated scams, while a new phenomenon has also emerged: social networks populated entirely by AI, raising questions about whether humans could be left behind in an “AI-complete” world.
Rakuten Mobile continues to draw attention every earnings season, and while its losses have been narrowing, the pain it inflicts on the Rakuten Group’s overall performance has not fundamentally changed. Even so, chair Hiroshi Mikitani describes the mobile business as contributing “more than expected,” and insists the company will maintain its stance of keeping low-price, unlimited data plans even as other carriers move to raise fees.
AI specialist and IT critic Kazuhiro Ohara, who once transferred to a foreign company despite not being good at English, says that with the right use of AI it is now possible to base one’s career overseas even without strong language skills.
NTT Docomo is set to acquire major online bank Sumishin SBI Net Bank as it prepares to enter the banking sector, marking a significant shift for the mobile carrier as it looks to catch up with rivals in the growing financial services space.
Emojis have evolved into a shared shorthand for emotion and intent, shaping not only how people text, but how they relate to one another online. Now, as NTT Docomo prepares to retire its original emoji set after 26 years, it marks the end of a uniquely Japanese chapter in the global story of digital expression.
As NTT Docomo and KDDI move to raise their mobile phone fees, SoftBank has also revealed it is considering a similar hike.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the way businesses and individuals interact with technology, and chatbots are at the forefront of this transformation.
In recent years, customer harassment (kasuhara) has become a worsening issue. To address such social challenges, the "docomo Business Forum '24" kicked off on October 10th in Minato Ward, Tokyo.
Pan Pacific International Holdings, the operator of Don Quijote, has announced its entry into the low-cost SIM card market. The company will offer plans starting at 770 yen per month for 3GB, using NTT Docomo’s network.
NTT Docomo has announced that it will be the first in the world to implement a 'flying base station' in the stratosphere to communicate with the ground by 2026.
NTT Docomo is set to revolutionize mobile payments with the introduction of a stylish, simple-design ring that allows users to make payments just by waving it over a terminal.
Rakuten is consolidating its smartphone payment apps into a single platform.
NTT DoCoMo and Amazon have announced a collaboration in payment and point systems.
NTT Docomo has announced its acquisition of a majority stake in Orix Credit, a subsidiary of the financial services giant Orix Corporation.
NTT Docomo has developed the world's first technology to digitize taste using ultra-high-speed 6G communication, enabling the sharing of taste experiences.
As communication failures continue in areas affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, NTT Docomo and KDDI have begun operating an off-shore base station from the seabed cable-laying ship "Kizuna."
Following the earthquake on the Noto Peninsula, ongoing disruptions to essential services are continuing, with approximately 34,500 households in Ishikawa Prefecture still experiencing power outages into Wednesday morning.
Tokyo is darker at night now than in 2019 before COVID-19 ravaged the city's entertainment districts. Nighttime satellite images show the city last year had luminosity only 90% that of 2019, while Paris and London had fully regained their glow. (Nikkei)
Heidi goes over the cost and process of renting bicycles in Japan from Docomo Bike Share, Hello Cycling, and LUUP. (GaijinPot)
Major Japanese mobile phone carrier NTT Docomo says it will spend 60 billion yen, or about 415 million dollars to fully enter the metaverse market. (NHK)