Cost comparison for LTE service in Japan

There are only three mobile phone service companies in Japan. There are many Wi-Fi service providers. But the number of the mobile phone operator is limited. When you want to use mobile phone in Japan, you need to subscribe one of those three network carriers.

The bigget provider in terms of the market share is NTTDocomo. However, NTTDocomo does not provide iPhone series. Now recent research in 2012 found that the number of the Docomo subscriber decreased, while subscribers of AU by KDDI and Softbank mobile increased.
 
Softbank is famous for providing iPhone service menus from the beginning that increased the marker share of the SoftBank a lot. Therefore, KDDI determined to add iPhone service menu from 2012.

Now, the number of the net increament of the subscriber comes SoftBank as No1, then followed by KDDI, and Docomo as the last. 

We have an image that SoftBank service is cheap but does not secure substantial connection speed, while Docomo is expensive but provides high quality service.

But that image is becoming outdated, since Docomo can offer inexpensive price menu. And SoftBank is heavily investing to improve its connectivitiy. In case you are in a big city area, you may not recognize the difference of the qualitiy.


1. Cost for NTT Docomo
1) Basic Monthly Fee: 1,095Yen ( Basic fee: 780 Yen. + SP Mode: 315Yen)
2) Packet Transmission Fee;
    a) Pake Hodai Lite Plan: 3GB maximum JPY 4,935/ Mon
    (For the communication beyond 3GB, the internet speed will go down to 128Kbps.)
      or
    b) Pake Hodai Flat Plan: 7GB maximum JPY 5,985/ Mon
    (For the communication beyond 7GB, the internet speed will go down to 128Kbps.)

2. AU by KDDI
* Plan for Android Smart Phones
 1) Basic Monthly Fee : 1,295Yen ( Basic Fee 980 Yen. + LTE Basic Fee: 315Yen)
 2) Packet Transmittion Fee ;
     LTE Flat: 7GB maximum JPY 5,985/ Mon
    (For the communication beyond 7GB, the internet speed will go down to 128Kbps.)

   *3GB Plan is not available like NTTDocomo
* Plan for iPhone 5
 1) Basic Monthly Fee : 1,295Yen ( Basci 980 Yen. + LTE Basic Fee: 315Yen)
 2) Packet Transimission FEE
     LTE Flat: 7GB maximum JPY 5,460Yen/ Mon)
   (For the communication beyond 7GB, the internet speed will go down to 128Kbps.)


AU's iPhone service provides more cheaper service than SoftBank.


3. SoftBank
*Plan for iPhone 5 and SmartPhone
  Basic Fee : 1,295Yen ( Basic Fee 980 Yen. + Internet Basic Fee: 315Yen)
  Packet plan; LTE Flat: 7GB maximum JPY 5,460/ Mon

*SoftBank have been keeping its speed limitation unclear with their 4GB Plan.
  From the end of January 2013, SoftBank will stop to make new contract with 4GB plan and
  will provide 7GB plan only, which is slightly expensive than KDDI plan,