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Wednesday, June 04, 2008, 09:00 am
Japan's SoftBank to offer Apple's 3G iPhone in Japan
SoftBank Mobile Corp., Japan's fastest growing mobile operator, announced Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with Apple to offer the iPhone to its customers later this year.Given that the carrier operates only 2G and 3G networks, the announcement further supports expectations that Apple is on the verge of introducing a new version of its handset built to run on so-called 3G networks.
SoftBank Mobile Corp, Japan's No. 3 wireless operator, recently beat all of its peers in annual net mobile subscriber growth for fiscal 2007, adding 2,676,500 subscribers thanks to its White Plan featuring lower fees.
As of April, SoftBank maintained a combined subscriber base of 18,779,100, which included 14,453,100 customers on its 3G network and 4,326,000 on its 2G network.
Talks between Apple and the carrier date back nearly two years to May of 2006 when rumors had the two companies collaborating on the then unreleased iPhone.
Apple had also been in talks with NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest mobile wireless carrier, though an agreement between the two has not been announced.
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Previous Comments View All
Quote:
Originally Posted by smokeonit 
SoftBank Mobile currently operates both PDC (Japanese 2G) and W-CDMA (UMTS 3G) networks. SoftBank's 3G network is compatible with UMTS and supports transparent global roaming for existing UMTS subscribers from other countries outside Japan. Subscribers of GSM networks having roaming agreements with SoftBank Mobile can also roam on the SoftBank 3G network by using UMTS handsets.
SoftBank Mobile currently operates both PDC (Japanese 2G) and W-CDMA (UMTS 3G) networks. SoftBank's 3G network is compatible with UMTS and supports transparent global roaming for existing UMTS subscribers from other countries outside Japan. Subscribers of GSM networks having roaming agreements with SoftBank Mobile can also roam on the SoftBank 3G network by using UMTS handsets.
Simple translation: It only runs 3G GSM phones.
I'm pretty stoked by this (glad it's not DoCoMo and it was never going to be AU), so it looks like I'll be moving from AU to Softbank. I was already considering that anyway for my next phone as so many people I know are now on Softbank.
I guess we just need to know what they mean by it coming out "later this year". A Reuters article even states "by the end of the year" which really leaves it open 
Dammit I want it this month seemingly like the rest of the world! 
\
Quote:
Originally Posted by merdhead
Simple translation: It only runs 3G GSM phones.
Simple translation: It only runs 3G GSM phones.
yes, and it will not be a japan only version... some people think that japan is absolutely incompatible with western phones... but in fact 3G is ok for european an US phones that talk UMTS... @ least with sofbank...
Quote:
Originally Posted by nutts
I'm pretty stoked by this (glad it's not DoCoMo and it was never going to be AU), so it looks like I'll be moving from AU to Softbank. I was already considering that anyway for my next phone as so many people I know are now on Softbank.
I guess we just need to know what they mean by it coming out "later this year". A Reuters article even states "by the end of the year" which really leaves it open
Dammit I want it this month seemingly like the rest of the world!\
I'm pretty stoked by this (glad it's not DoCoMo and it was never going to be AU), so it looks like I'll be moving from AU to Softbank. I was already considering that anyway for my next phone as so many people I know are now on Softbank.
I guess we just need to know what they mean by it coming out "later this year". A Reuters article even states "by the end of the year" which really leaves it open
Dammit I want it this month seemingly like the rest of the world!
\mid-june should be ok... @ least in the US and europe... japan wcould be a little later...
Quote:
Originally Posted by merdhead
Simple translation: It only runs 3G GSM phones.
Simple translation: It only runs 3G GSM phones.
yes and no... since 3G is UMTS, not GSM... GSM is the basis for GPRS/EDGE...
Softbank or Docomo, as long as we get it!
Softbank uses Cameron Diaz for modeling, so we may be in for a treat.
I think they will announce it next week, but availability will be a month or two off.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bergermeister
Softbank or Docomo, as long as we get it!
Softbank uses Cameron Diaz for modeling, so we may be in for a treat.
I think they will announce it next week, but availability will be a month or two off.
Softbank or Docomo, as long as we get it!
Softbank uses Cameron Diaz for modeling, so we may be in for a treat.
I think they will announce it next week, but availability will be a month or two off.
softbank just announced it on their website... that's why we're talking about this...
Quote:
Originally Posted by smokeonit
yes and no... since 3G is UMTS, not GSM... GSM is the basis for GPRS/EDGE...
yes and no... since 3G is UMTS, not GSM... GSM is the basis for GPRS/EDGE...
Oh please, not this stupid argument again. It's GSM. That's what the type of phone is called, the family of standards. Just because the original standard was referred to as GSM makes it no less so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by smokeonit
softbank just announced it on their website... that's why we're talking about this...
softbank just announced it on their website... that's why we're talking about this...
I realize that.
http://www.softbankmobile.co.jp/en/n...8/20080604_01/
What I meant was I don't mind which carrier got it as long as one did, and that Apple will announce the 3G next week and set availability for later in the year. Sorry, I was typing fast.
My wife almost bought a new Docomo yesterday but I luckily talked her out of it. Now we we both switch to Softbank (currently AU).
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SoftBank Mobile currently operates both PDC (Japanese 2G) and W-CDMA (UMTS 3G) networks. SoftBank's 3G network is compatible with UMTS and supports transparent global roaming for existing UMTS subscribers from other countries outside Japan. Subscribers of GSM networks having roaming agreements with SoftBank Mobile can also roam on the SoftBank 3G network by using UMTS handsets.