Japanese operators share LTE plans

Japanese operators NTT DoCoMo and Softbank shared some of their strategies when it comes to their plans for LTE services in Japan.

Speaking at the GSMA Mobile Asia Congress, NTT DoCoMo announced it was moving straight to LTE, bypassing HSPA+. Meanwhile, Softbank said WiFi will become an integral part of its LTE network as a means to handle the expected influx of data usage.

NTT DoCoMo's President Ryuhi Yamada said the company will launch LTE by December 2010, offering data cards and targeting computer users with mobile phones initially. It expects LTE mobile devices to deliver in 2011. The operator plans to begin coverage in high demand areas, overlaying the existing 3G network. DoCoMo's 2G network will go dark in 2012, he said. The country's largest operator expects video services to drive LTE usage and boost revenues.

Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, who indicated the operator would invest aggressively in LTE, said he sees WiFi continuing to complement mobile networks and devices. He indicated that 50 percent of data traffic occurs from home during peak usage periods, making WiFi an ideal complement.

For more:
- see this TelecomEngine article [1]

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