(keitai-l) Re: Japan's KDDI to provide cellphone service in U.S

From: Tim Smith <tim_at_freeverse.jp>
Date: 04/10/07
Message-ID: <461AD97B.1070509@freeverse.jp>
Actually their intention is to establish a viable MVNO using the foreign 
Japanese population in the US (about 350,000) as a base. They will use 
the handsets that are possible on that network (Sanyo, LG, Moto, etc) 
and then add-in 'EZ' type of services. I seriously doubt they'll eat a 
hefty chunk of Sprint's service, but they'll definitely fill a gap and 
it's also a chance for Sprint/Nextel to pick up some needed ARPU. Who 
knows, a merger on the horizon?? Everyone knows about NTT's failed 
forays into the US market with their iMode launch. The KKDI model seems 
alot more timely and trendy.

I agree the US has a way to go when it comes to CRM - especially Telco 
related. Though I'd take Sprint or Verizon any day of the week against 
Cingular(ATT). Bear in mind, wireless costs in the US (per minute) are 
still far lower than ANYTHING in Japan. CRM costs - so what do you want? 
Prompt service when you call an operator (averages maybe once or twice a 
year), or rock bottom calling prices?


Curt Sampson wrote:
> On Sun, 8 Apr 2007, Joe Bowbeer wrote:
>
>   
>> Thought this might be of interest:
>>
>> Japan's KDDI to provide cellphone service in U.S, using Sprint's
>> network and catering mostly to Japanese customers in the U.S.
>>     
>
> Absolutely fascinating.
>
> I'm wondering what they're going to do about customer service. Will they
> be providing it in Japanese, or English, or both? If they're providing
> English service, it's anywhere near as good as what they provide in
> Japan, and they're not too much more expensive than Sprint, I could seem
> them eating a fairly hefty chunk of Sprint's business.
>
> (For those not familiar with US cellphone carriers, their level of
> customer service is astoundingly bad. Check out consumerist.com for
> plenty of examples.)
>
> cjs
>   
Received on Tue Apr 10 03:25:27 2007