KT Japan Launches Budget MVNO 'tt mobile' for Application in Korea, Activation in Japan

KT Japan announced on the 5th that it has launched its budget mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service, "tt mobile." KT Japan, the Japanese local subsidiary of KT, is moving to expand its telecommunications business for individual customers. The new service is aimed at Korean customers planning long-term stays in Japan and Koreans preparing for extended stays there.

The service is designed to let customers complete the application process for a Japanese phone number in advance in Korea. Applicants can request a Japanese phone number before departure using only their passport, and the application language is Korean. The USIM card is received in Korea, and activation takes place after arriving in Japan.

KT Japan said it has made it possible for customers to complete local telecom sign-up procedures in advance through a process in which they apply in Korean in Korea, receive a USIM card, and then activate the service in Japan. It expects this to bring forward the process of securing a phone number needed immediately after arriving in Japan and ease the burden of early settlement there. Its main target groups are international students, working holiday travelers and expatriates.

The service is notable for separating pre-registration from local activation. Customers apply in Korea using their passport and PASS easy authentication, receive a USIM card, and then request activation after arriving in Japan. If activation is requested after arrival, the service uses the NTT Docomo network, and customers can use a Japanese phone number after activation.

A phone number is necessary for long-term residents in Japan. It is used to open bank accounts, verify identity and register contact information. However, local sign-up in Japan is often seen as burdensome because of Japanese-language procedures and document preparation. KT Japan is addressing that by offering Korean-language applications and domestic card payments, with billing handled by a card issued in Korea in the subscriber's name. Through this, KT Japan said it is focusing on reducing the inconvenience of the sign-up and payment process.

KT Japan operates two products that can be signed up for before departure with a passport: the "Working Holiday and Student Plan" and the "Business Plan." The product distinction is based on the purpose of stay. The lineup reflects differences in demand for data and voice calls.

The plans are divided by purpose of stay and usage type into products for students and working holiday travelers and products for business users. The Working Holiday and Student Plan is for working holiday travelers aged 30 or younger and international students. It is available in 5GB, 10GB, 30GB and 50GB tiers, with monthly fees starting at JPY 1,210. Voice calls and text messages are charged separately based on usage.

The Business Plan targets customers who frequently contact clients and offices in Japan due to expatriate assignments, business trips, local business promotion or incorporation. It comes in 10GB, 30GB and 50GB tiers, with monthly fees starting at JPY 2,970. All business plans include unlimited domestic calls in Japan as a standard feature.

Both product lines can continue to be used at speeds of up to 200Kbps even after the basic data allowance has been fully used. As a launch promotion, KT Japan will waive the JPY 5,500 international USIM shipping fee for customers who complete their applications by December 31.

KT Japan also separately operates a basic plan for customers living in Japan. A My Number Card is required to sign up for the product. Available network options include major Japanese carriers such as NTT Docomo, KDDI and SoftBank. It said there are differences in eligibility requirements and available networks between the pre-departure plans and the Japan-resident plan.

Park Chan-beom, CEO of KT Japan, said the company wants to help Koreans starting new challenges in Japan prepare the telecommunications environment they need before departure. He added that KT Japan plans to continue expanding various telecom services for Koreans visiting or staying long term in Japan.

Source: IT DAILY · Lee Jae-young
Original: https://www.itdaily.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=242008

References

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