EMobile launches HSPA+ in Japan

Japanese wireless broadband operator EMobile said Wednesday it has launched HSPA+ services in the country, using kit supplied by Huawei.

The network promises mobile data speeds up to 21.6Mbps on the downlink and covers cities such as Hokkaido, Sendai, Niigata, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Nagasaki.

The service provider will offer internet access, streaming media and VoIP and will connect the end user with a Huawei supplied data card.

As of June 30, 2009, EMobile’s subscriber base exceeded 1.67 million. The company partners with leading Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo to provide voice telephony services.

This week DoCoMo’s parent company, NTT, reported a 20 per cent year on year drop in net income for the three months to the end of June, to Y139.6bn (€1bn). Operating income at the mobile operation (DoCoMo) also fell 15.1 per cent year on year to Y251.8bn, while operating revenues fell 7.3 per cent to just over Y1tn.