TOKYO -(Dow Jones)- Softbank Corp. (9984.TO) said Monday its Softbank BB Corp. unit has applied to the Japanese government for a business license for mobile-phone services.
Aiming to enter the mobile-phone market, Softbank BB has applied for a license for the 800-Megahertz bandwidth range.
Softbank already operates broadband Internet Protocol telephone services via Yahoo BB and fixed-line telecommunication services through its Japan Telecom unit. The company has said it hopes to enter the mobile-phone market and provide cheaper services than those currently available.
It has been seeking to obtain a license for the 800-Megahertz range that would enable the company to use third-generation mobile-phone technology. But the government had planned to grant licenses for that frequency band to KDDI Corp. (9433.TO) and NTT DoCoMo Inc. (9437.TO).
In October, Softbank filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court to stop the implementation of the government's bandwidth allocation plan.
The Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, however, recently said Softbank can apply for a new license to seek bandwidth allocation. Softbank said it has therefore decided to drop the court fight.
-By Natsuo Nishio, Dow Jones Newswires; 813-5255-2929; natsuo.nishio@dowjones.com
-Edited by Kirsty Mackenzie
(END) Dow Jones Newswires"
Posted to the site on 6th December 2004
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/11373.php