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Tag: KDDI

  • KDDI and SpaceX Partner to Bring Starlink Mobile V2 Direct to Japanese Smartphones in 2027

    KDDI and SpaceX Partner to Bring Starlink Mobile V2 Direct to Japanese Smartphones in 2027

    KDDI has signed an agreement with SpaceX to deliver direct-to-device satellite broadband and voice calls across Japan starting in 2027. The service will tap satellites with 20 times the throughput of older orbital hardware.

    The deal expands KDDI’s mobile brand, au, beyond ground towers. It routes standard smartphone traffic directly through SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile V2 constellation.

    How direct satellite connections work on au phones

    Compatible smartphones connect directly to low Earth orbit satellites when users travel outside cellular base station range. Customers need no specialized handsets, external antennas, or hardware adapters. KDDI signed the agreement on 10 August and disclosed commercial terms on 15 September. SpaceX confirmed the rollout schedule on 17 September.

    Technical specifications released by KDDI show the V2 satellites carry larger phased-array antennas. Each spacecraft provides roughly 20 times the individual throughput of first-generation units. SpaceX will also deploy more spot beams per spacecraft, multiplying data density by roughly 100 times over targeted areas. This capacity supports native Voice over LTE (VoLTE) calling, video streaming, and web browsing from orbit.

    Closing the coverage gaps on islands and mountains

    Japanese mobile carriers currently reach more than 99.9 percent of the population through ground infrastructure. Geographic coverage maps still leave wide blanks across national parks, steep mountain ranges, and outlying archipelagos. In those regions, building fiber backhaul and physical towers is structurally impossible or prohibitively expensive.

    For consumer brands, outdoor logistics operators, and regional transport networks, direct satellite data removes operational dead zones. Delivery fleets on rural mountain passes gain uninterrupted tracking. Travelers on maritime routes keep voice and emergency connectivity without switching SIM cards or buying specialized satellite terminals.

    The race for orbital cellular partnerships

    Rivalries in direct-to-cell services are accelerating across Asia-Pacific and North America as network operators hunt for coverage advantages. AST SpaceMobile is building a competing orbital network to beam 4G and 5G broadband directly to standard devices, backed by United States carriers AT&T and Verizon. Mobile carriers now treat satellite capacity as a core subscription layer rather than an emergency backup.

    Regulatory approvals remain the primary hurdle before commercial launch. Direct-to-device services operate across shared mobile spectrum bands and satellite frequencies. Regulators must grant spectrum rights, interference clearances, and satellite licenses before carriers can activate voice and broadband on retail devices.

    From text alerts to full broadband voice

    The 2027 deployment builds directly on KDDI’s initial trial, au Starlink Direct, which went live in April 2025. That early system supported only low-bandwidth short messaging and selected text-based apps outside terrestrial cell footprints.

    SpaceX must now maintain its launch pace for the larger V2 spacecraft as Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reviews local spectrum authorization ahead of the planned 2027 consumer rollout.

  • Japan Four Big Telcos Form 5G Millimeter-Wave Sharing Pact

    Japan Four Big Telcos Form 5G Millimeter-Wave Sharing Pact

    Japan’s four nationwide mobile operators signed an agreement on September 21 to jointly study sharing 28GHz millimeter-wave 5G base stations and network architectures.

    The pact brings together KDDI, NTT Docomo, SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile. Together, their networks serve more than 200 million cellular subscriptions.

    Sharing high-band physical infrastructure

    Signals at 28GHz deliver ultra-high speeds and heavy throughput. However, the radio waves travel short distances and cannot penetrate concrete walls, glass or foliage. Covering a single commercial district requires hundreds of small cells and repeaters. That multiplies site acquisition costs and power bills for each carrier.

    Under the memorandum of understanding, the four operators will examine technical frameworks to share base station equipment, repeaters and related transmission assets. Each carrier will continue independent commercial rollouts. A joint working group will test how traffic from rival subscriber bases can run across shared physical nodes without degrading data security or individual network performance.

    The cost math behind 28GHz networks

    High-frequency spectrum rollouts have stalled worldwide because capital expenditure per square kilometer outpaces consumer revenue gains. Worldwide mmWave 5G spending is projected to climb from 3.84 billion dollars in 2025 to 4.42 billion dollars in 2026. Even so, individual operators face severe balance-sheet pressure when building proprietary high-band grids.

    By sharing cell sites and repeaters in dense retail quarters, transit hubs and stadiums, Japanese operators aim to cut duplicate capital outlays. Mall operators, transport hubs and enterprise landlords also gain. A unified model eliminates the need to host four separate sets of antennas and power feeds on roofs and interior walls.

    Shifting carrier spending to shared utilities

    This alliance shifts carrier dynamics across Japan. Rather than competing purely on antenna counts, the operators are treating high-frequency physical layer equipment as a common utility. Core networks and retail pricing plans will remain distinct.

    Operational risk sits in maintenance allocation and capacity bottlenecks during localized peak events. If one carrier’s subscribers crowd a shared node during an urban festival or sporting fixture, the system must arbitrate spectrum access without triggering regulatory complaints over fair competition.

    Earlier trials and global deployment lines

    Collaborative network trials have gained ground across international markets as carriers confront sub-6GHz spectrum exhaustion. Global equipment vendors and tier-one operators launched initial commercial mmWave clusters in early 2023. Enterprise fixed wireless access deployments then expanded into industrial parks and logistics hubs through 2024 and 2025.

    Japanese carriers previously tested private 5G and standalone 28GHz cells in manufacturing facilities and isolated transit pilots. Despite those trials, commercial handset connections rarely lock onto millimeter-wave signals outside select train platforms and flagship retail venues.

    Technical evaluations under the new memorandum will run over the coming quarters. Teams will focus on multi-operator core network integration and shared repeater specifications ahead of targeted commercial joint-site deployments.

  • Japan Offers 50 per Cent Subsidy to Rebuild Subsea Cable Fleet

    Japan Offers 50 per Cent Subsidy to Rebuild Subsea Cable Fleet

    Japan’s Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry will subsidize half the construction cost of new subsea cable-laying ships. The vessels secure routes carrying 99 percent of international data traffic.

    Funding is part of a broader JPY 2.4 trillion public and private investment plan running through fiscal 2040. The plan will expand undersea networks and replace an aging domestic fleet. Japanese operators currently maintain just five cable-laying vessels weighing more than 5,000 tons. Three belong to NTT Group. Two belong to a KDDI subsidiary.

    Aging tonnage and foreign charter risks

    Specialized cable ships deploy remotely operated seabed vehicles and maintain transoceanic lines. They carry thousands of kilometers of coiled fiber in onboard tanks. These hulls carry an operational life expectancy of roughly 40 years. Several Japanese ships have passed 30 years in service. That age creates rising maintenance costs and reliability concerns.

    Carriers in the United States and Europe operate larger, newer fleets. These allow faster deployment schedules. Japanese telecommunications groups face tighter construction windows and strict order requirements when contracting repairs or new routes. Regional data links are left exposed during outages.

    The 2.4 trillion yen rollout

    Tokyo designated information and telecommunications as one of 17 strategic national sectors alongside artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and defense. Financial backing follows the revised Economic Security Promotion Law passed in June. Under the policy, the ministry can fund up to 50 percent of shipyard build costs for qualifying private operators.

    Subsea lines carry data traffic generated by cloud platforms and generative artificial intelligence clusters across East Asia. The Japanese government wants domestic carriers to control physical installation assets. This avoids dependence on international charter pools during geopolitical or supply chain disruptions.

    Imbalance across the supply chain

    A domestic fleet deficit contrasts with Japan’s manufacturing strength. NEC Corporation controls approximately 20 percent of the global undersea cable manufacturing market. The company owns zero cable-laying vessels. It relies entirely on leased foreign ships to install hardware.

    This divide between cable manufacturing and maritime installation creates cost volatility. Leased vessels command high charter rates and rigid booking calendars. NTT, KDDI, and NEC are evaluating whether to order newly built hulls or execute extensive refits on existing hulls to qualify for state funding.

    What comes next for shipyards and carriers

    June’s revised Economic Security Promotion Law established the legal framework. In July, the cabinet’s growth strategy committed the JPY 2.4 trillion target through 2040. Those steps cleared the path for the ministry’s budget request for the upcoming fiscal year.

    Shipbuilding allocations and vessel specifications depend on final budget approval in parliament. Japanese carriers must then secure shipyard slots in domestic yards already contending with tight commercial delivery schedules.

  • SoftBank Completes Japan Airborne Base Station Trial for 2027 Rollout

    SoftBank Completes Japan Airborne Base Station Trial for 2027 Rollout

    SoftBank Corp. Completed Japan’s first stratospheric mobile base trial over Kochi Prefecture. The platform transmitted voice, video and drone control signals from an altitude of 20 kilometres.

    The uncrewed, airship-like craft can hover for up to six months. It acts as an airborne cell tower when earthquakes or typhoons knock out ground networks.

    Stratospheric Flight Over Kochi

    Crews launched the High Altitude Platform Station craft from New Mexico. They ran communication tests above western Japan’s Muroto region on August 23 and August 24. Engineers confirmed stable two-way voice, video and emergency channels during the two-day window.

    Flight trials also maintained continuous control links with inspection drones. SoftBank plans to deploy those links during natural disasters to check damaged roads and assess collapsed buildings without risking ground survey crews.

    Rival Operators Test Disaster Links

    Japan’s three dominant carriers are competing to secure non-terrestrial coverage across an archipelago exposed to frequent seismic activity. SoftBank, NTT DOCOMO and KDDI Corp. Already sell direct-to-satellite messaging for smartphones. Satellite bandwidth, however, struggles to support video feeds and autonomous drone flights during emergencies.

    High-altitude stations solve that bottleneck by operating closer to Earth than low-orbit satellites. NTT DOCOMO is preparing trials in Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto peninsula using a balloon-shaped craft. That project targets damage assessments and labor monitoring for forestry and agriculture.

    Commercial Service Targets 2027

    Demand for stratospheric networks intensified after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto region on January 1, 2024. The disaster cut road access and severed terrestrial fiber links across dozens of coastal communities.

    SoftBank plans to widen flight zones and extend mission durations ahead of a commercial rollout in 2027. That service will target enterprise clients and municipal governments seeking backup connectivity during regular operations.

  • KDDI Expands Starlink Direct Satellite Access to the Philippines and New Zealand

    KDDI Expands Starlink Direct Satellite Access to the Philippines and New Zealand

    Japanese carrier KDDI and Okinawa Cellular expanded their au Starlink Direct satellite service on August 31 to cover the Philippines and New Zealand.

    The cross-border rollout adds two Asia-Pacific destinations to an international coverage footprint that previously included only the United States and Canada.

    Direct satellite links for travellers

    Subscribers to KDDI’s satellite service in Japan can now access low-Earth orbit connectivity in remote areas across both partner markets without paying extra fees or filing advance applications. The service links directly with Starlink Mobile technology when users have a clear view of the sky, enabling text messaging, location sharing, and supported light data applications in regions where terrestrial cellular networks do not reach.

    Local carriers Globe Telecom in Manila and Spark in Auckland are serving as the operational partners for the rollout. Philippine coverage targets remote island corridors and dive destinations such as El Nido on Palawan Island, while New Zealand access focuses on national parks and backcountry wilderness areas.

    “By enabling access to Starlink Mobile’s satellite-powered text and light data services when overseas, we’re helping travelers stay connected in places where traditional mobile coverage isn’t available,” Spark Chief Customer Officer Mark Beder said.

    Regional race for direct-to-cell coverage

    Mobile operators across the Asia-Pacific region are increasingly turning to low-Earth orbit satellite constellations to eliminate dead zones across archipelagos and rugged terrain without building expensive land towers. By routing signals directly between standard consumer smartphones and satellites in orbit, carriers can maintain emergency contact channels for inbound tourists and rural communities without requiring dedicated satellite handsets.

    Globe and Spark are working to expand two-way satellite roaming for their own domestic customers as Starlink prepares broader direct-to-cell capabilities across the wider region.

  • KDDI Launches Paid Consumer AI Assistant Buffmee in Japan

    KDDI Launches Paid Consumer AI Assistant Buffmee in Japan

    Japanese telecom operator KDDI launched Buffmee, a consumer artificial intelligence assistant that charges JPY 980 a month for verified search and study tools. The service runs on Google Cloud and restricts query answers exclusively to curated materials from licensed book publishers, magazines and specialized databases.

    Unlike general-purpose chatbots that scrape the open internet, Buffmee functions as a closed ecosystem where users can cross-check answers directly against partner citations. The platform targets daily consumer queries across education, cooking, sports, parenting, business and personal finance.

    Curated data over open web searches

    KDDI designed the app to address rising consumer frustration with unverified AI search results and hallucinations. Partner publishers provide copyrighted and premium texts to the platform, gaining a controlled digital distribution channel while KDDI secures proprietary content for its model.

    Users interact through structured shortcuts and dedicated buttons designed to reduce prompt writing. The software includes tools for text summarisation, data analysis, image generation, daily planning, test problem creation and digital flashcards.

    Freemium tiers and study tools

    The service operates on a two-tier pricing structure. The free tier caps usage at 100 chat sessions and 10 image generation requests per day, while the JPY 980 (USD 6.50) monthly subscription removes all volume limits. KDDI is offering the premium tier free for the first year to build initial consumer adoption.

    Asian telecom operators are increasingly shifting from commodity network access into branded consumer digital services to defend average revenue per user. While regional peers in Southeast Asia and South Korea have focused primarily on enterprise AI contracts and customer care automation, KDDI is taking subscription software directly to retail mobile subscribers through curated publisher partnerships.

    KDDI will track conversion rates as early adopters reach the end of their 12-month free promotional period and transition onto the standard monthly billing cycle.

  • KDDI to Offer Starlink to Enterprise and Civil Government Clients

    KDDI to Offer Starlink to Enterprise and Civil Government Clients

    KDDI announced it will begin offering Starlink connectivity to its enterprise and civil government customers later this year as part of a deal recently completed.

    Starlink began offering service two years ago, and this summer it introduced its maritime service, which provides high-speed, low-latency internet while at sea.

    Under the agreement, the Japanese telecom giant will act as “authorized Starlink integrator,” enhancing the company’s ability to deliver best-in-class network service to its customers who require stable, reliable connectivity in rural and remote areas, even during events such as natural disasters.

    KDDI has been conducting technical demonstrations of Starlink in Japan since 2021, which have proven the service’s quality and performance, including for use in mobile backhaul.

    “Starlink’s unmatched performance is a great fit for our persistent endeavor to bring the urban mobile experience to rural customers,” said Makoto Takahashi, president of KDDI. “With Japan having more than 16,000 mountains and 6,000 islands, Starlink’s industry-leading satellite constellation is uniquely suited to provide Japanese enterprises with reliable, sustainable internet connectivity, even in times of natural disaster.”

    “We’re excited to provide a new dimension of connectivity to KDDI’s customers that require reliable, high-speed, low-latency internet on land and at sea,” said SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Sales, Jonathan Hofeller. “Having recently launched Starlink in the country, we look forward to offering a powerful solution that we’ve seen provide critical connectivity in the over 40 countries Starlink is available in.”

  • Nokia to power KDDI’s 5G networks with standalone core and monetization solutions

    Nokia to power KDDI’s 5G networks with standalone core and monetization solutions

    Nokia has announced that Japanese operator KDDI has selected Nokia’s 5G Core and Converged Charging software to support its transition to a fully automated, cloud-native 5G Core architecture.

    Nokia’s cloud-native 5G Core’s near zero-touch automation capabilities help operators drive greater scale and reliability. Following the evolution of KDDI’s networks to 5G standalone core, subscribers will experience lower latency, increased bandwidth and higher capacity.

    Nokia’s open 5G Core architecture gives KDDI the flexibility to be responsive to market demands while controlling costs by streamlining operations and unlocking crucial capabilities, such as network slicing. Developed around DevOps principles, Nokia’s 5G Core will automate the lifecycle management of KDDI’s networks, as well as enable continuous software delivery and integration.

    Nokia will also deploy 5G monetization and data management software solutions including cloud-native Converged Charging, Signaling, Policy Controller, Mediation and Registers to capture new 5G revenue opportunities, enhance business velocity and agility, and streamline the operator’s network operations.

    With Nokia’s monetization solutions, KDDI will be able to monetize new opportunities within the 5G economy. This includes 5G network slicing and network as a service offering, IoT and new business models for B2B2X services through a containerized, microservices-based solution that enables services-based integrations with new 5G network functions meeting standards requirements for 5G convergent charging systems.

    Other products in the deal include Nokia’s Digital Operations software, Cloud Operations Manager, NetAct network management system and Archive Cloud to automate the backup and storage of network data. Solutions will be deployed across Nokia cloud infrastructure, a cloud-native solution that integrates multi-vendor and multi-technology environments.

    Tatsuo Sato, Vice President and Managing Officer, Technology Planning, KDDI, said: “The deployment of Nokia’s solutions marks a key milestone in the evolution of our 5G architecture. The evolution of our 5G architecture will enable us to fully automate and provide better services to our customers. We are pleased to be continuing our strong relationship with Nokia.”

    John Lancaster-Lennox, Head of Market Unit Japan at Nokia, said: “We look forward to expanding our 25-year relationship with KDDI with the deployment of our standalone 5G Core solutions. With crucial monetization and operations functions, such as network slicing, KDDI will unlock key revenue opportunities and benefit from increased operational efficiencies as well.”

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  • KDDI, Sumitomo to enter Myanmar mobile game market

    KDDI, Sumitomo to enter Myanmar mobile game market

    Japanese operator KDDI and conglomerate Sumitomo have revealed plans to jointly enter Myanmar’s mobile game industry through newly created joint venture Funcreate Myanmar.

    Funcreate Myanmar, a subsidiary of the companies’ Singapore-based joint venture Funcreate, will localize and distribute mobile games from Japan and other countries throughout Myanmar.

    Funcreate was established in November last year and has been a joint venture since April. It is 51% owned by KDDI and 49% owned by Sumitomo.

    The companies aim to attract more than 1 million downloads for each game title offered. Myanmar’s mobile games market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 52% due to the nation’s rapidly developing mobile phone market.

    KDDI has meanwhile established a strategic partnership with Singapore-based mobile game service provider goGame to take advantage of the latter’s expertise in game procurement, development, operation and marketing for the Asian market.

    Sumitomo, which launched a mobile game sales operation in North America in 2018, will meanwhile provide strategic marketing proposals for the new mobile game business operation, tailored to the Myanmar market.

    KDDI and Sumitomo were selected in 2014 to partner with state-owned Myanmar Posts and Telecom to operate a joint venture providing fixed and mobile services in the rapidly developing local telecoms market.

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  • KDDI, Terra Drone launch drone asset inspection service

    KDDI, Terra Drone launch drone asset inspection service

    Japan’s KDDI and industrial drone solutions provider Terra Drone have jointly launched a new drone inspection services for industrial infrastructure.

    The jointly developed solution involves using a drone to generate a 3D, high resolution model of heavy industrial assets such as wind turbines, telecom and transmission steel towers, smokestacks, and bridges.

    The drone will use the model to determine which components should be inspected, allowing the drone to shoot the inspection points from optimal angles and range designated by the Terra Inspection software.

    It uses mobile networks to transmit data back to inspection crews and to allow operators to remotely plan flight paths based on weather databases and maps.

    The solution also has potential applications in areas beyond asset inspection, such as large area surveillance, land surveying or precision farming.

    KDDI and Terra Drone jointly developed the underlying Smart Drone platform, and have developed a number of solutions based on the platform since 2016.

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  • Japanese telcos assigned 5G spectrum

    Japanese telcos assigned 5G spectrum

    Japan’s telecom ministry has allocated 5G mobile spectrum to incumbent operators NTT Docomo, KDDI, and Softbank, as well as local e-commerce giant Rakuten.

    The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has approved the allocation of spectrum after determining that the companies’ applications met the conditions of the allocation.

    The four companies plan to invest heavily in 5G, spending a combined 1.6 trillion yen ($14.4 billion) over the next five years. Docomo is planning the largest spend, with goals to invest at least 795 billion yen in 5G over this time.

    The four plan to commence commercial 5G services in 2020, with KDDI and SoftBank planning to commence advertising for its services in March.

    Rakuten Mobile, Japan’s upcoming newest market entrant, meanwhile plans to commence 4G services in October 2019 and 5G services in June 2020.

    The conditions for the allocation of spectrum included commitments to commence services in every prefecture of the nation within two years, and set up 5G base stations in at least half the country within five years.

    According to the report, Docomo and KDDI are each targeting more than 90% 5G population coverage by the end of the five years, while SoftBank is targeting 64% coverage while Rakuten is aiming for 56%.

  • Japan’s KDDI sets sights on extended reality

    Japan’s KDDI sets sights on extended reality

    KDDI is branching out into the emerging world of extended reality (XR) – which includes virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality – by forging partnership with US-based Osterhout Design Group (ODG) to jointly plan and develop XR-based smartglasses for the Japanese market.

    The Japanese operator is also teaming with various partners to conduct business trials and create XR services as the company moves toward developing new business operations using virtual characters and other XR technologies to create new business models for the coming era of widespread 5G use.

    The partnership with ODG, announced last week, will see KDDI help with the development of domestic Japanese products using the R-9 smartglasses developed by ODG. The operator will help optimize the potential of smartglasses for the Japanese domestic market through practical testing.

    According to KDDI, the R-9 smartglasses to be used in future verification tests are equipped with the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 chipset and compatible with an AR/VR app that enables stand-alone position tracking for users.

    The R-9 smartglasses will feature a wide 50° viewing angle, and will be compatible with wide-screen displays using 22:9 and 16:9 aspect ratios. The R-9 smartglasses will also include dual stereo cameras; front camera with 13-megapixel resolution; and simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) compatibility.

    KDDI and ODG also plan to work with Qualcomm toward equipping future models with a modem function to bring cellular communications capability to smartglasses in addition to existing Wi-Fi functionality.

    KDDI and various partner companies, such as Japan Airlines, plan to begin practical testing of smartglasses in Japan in June.

    Collaborating with partners to create virtual characters and XR services

    In a separate announcement, KDDI said it is planning to start conducting business trials on the XR technologies with various partner companies beginning this month.

    Through business trials with various partner firms and applications of this technology, KDDI aims to create worlds in which people and virtual characters can communicate interactively.

    So far KDDI has worked with Crypton Future Media for the development of the Miku☆Sampo AR application. Moving forward, the operator plans to expand the AR presentation developed through Miku☆Sampo to enable users to communicate more naturally with the character.

    This will be accomplished through virtual character development capabilities unique to AI, which enable the character to recognize and understand objects and sounds, etc., in the surrounding environment, KDDI said.

    In addition, this project will include a real-time image recognition engine provided by Couger. Couger will also cooperate with virtual character AI-related technology.

    KDDI’s announcements signal the increased interests from telecoms operators in VR/AR. According to GlobalData, telecoms operators – who have a key role in enabling VR/AR services as providers of broadband and mobile network services – are exploring  revenue opportunities in VR/AR that are beyond 5G data and connectivity.

  • KDDI, Nokia trial eMBMS for connected vehicles

    KDDI, Nokia trial eMBMS for connected vehicles

    Japan’s KDDI and Nokia have completed trials of LTE connected vehicle applications including the first vehicle based LTE broadcast trial.

    During a trial on the island of Hokkaido, the companies implemented evolved multimedia broadcast multicast service (eMBMS) technology for two in-vehicle applications.

    These included vehicle-to-network-to-vehicle connectivity, allowing cars to stay in constant contact with a Nokia-based multi-access edge computing (MEC) platform, sending real-time location, direction and speed data to roadside sensors.

    The proof of concept allows drivers to alert the application and allow information to be distributed to other vehicles using eMBMS.

    In addition, eMBMS was applied in a network real-time kinematic (network RTK) trial of LTE for enhance fully automated in-vehicle navigation, demonstrating how eMBMS could more cost-efficiently use existing geo-location systems to communicate to many vehicles in real-time.

    The companies said the trials are a step towards preparing the car industry for the introduction of 5G-based automated vehicles.

    “We are pleased to work with Nokia to demonstrate our leadership in the delivery of mobile networks for IoT and connected car communications,” added Munefumi Tsurusawa, general manager of the connected vehicle technology department and KDDI’s technical planning division.

    “This is an important trial showing how the automotive industry can leverage cellular technology to enhance safety of connect vehicles on the roads.”

  • KDDI sets up fund to boost 5G capabilities

    KDDI sets up fund to boost 5G capabilities

    Japan’s KDDI has teamed up with venture capital firm Global Brian to establish a new fund to support startups which can boost the operator’s capabilities in 5G and other technologies.

    The Japanese telco plans to invest 20 billion yen ($186 million) over the next five years via KDDI Open Innovation Fund 3 (KOIF3) in startups in areas such as AI, IoT and big data, which KDDI says will grow ever more crucial in the 5G era.

    The new fund will operate for 10 years and be managed by Global Brian, targeting startups “that hold promise for generating synergy with KDDI group companies in the coming 5G era,” KDDI says.

    The formation of the new fund, KDDI adds, is “in anticipation of the changes that will be brought about as 5G technology comes into widespread use”.

    KDDI and its group companies will use their networks, experience and knowledge to seek out promising venture firms in fields such as AI and IoT, the operator said, adding that there are already three programs being launched around AI, IoT and data marketing technologies.

    “The investment programs will also make it possible not just for KDDI but also for its group companies to proactively undertake joint development efforts with venture firms,” KDDI noted.

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  • KDDI, Toyota develop app to reduce road accidents

    KDDI, Toyota develop app to reduce road accidents

    Toyota Motor, Komeda and KDDI in September have jointly developed a smartphone application called Driving Barista, aimed at reducing the number of traffic accidents in Aichi Prefecture caused by drivers using their smartphones while driving.

    This is the first traffic safety initiative in Japan involving a smartphone application, which is to be carried out and jointly promoted by an automobile company, a communication company, and a food and beverage company.

    For thirteen consecutive years, Aichi Prefecture has had the highest rate of traffic fatalities in Japan. Furthermore, there were also 50,101 arrests involving the use of smartphones while driving, and the increase in violations of this nature has also intensified the problem.

    Toyota, Komeda, and KDDI will promote traffic safety in Aichi Prefecture through an educational initiative where participation is accessible for all, and can lead to a reduction in traffic accidents.

    The Driving Barista application can only be used within Aichi Prefecture. By using the gyro sensor to sense the tilt of the smartphone body, and the GPS to determine the distance driven, this application measures the distance the driver has driven while leaving the smartphone face down. When the cumulative distance reaches 100 km, the driver can receive a coupon for a cup of blended or iced coffee at a Komeda Coffee Shop.

    According to one survey, approximately 60% of respondents said they use their smartphones while driving, with approximately half of these respondents keeping only one hand on the steering wheel. Therefore, the companies hope that the new application will raise drivers’ awareness about not using smartphones while driving.

    “We have already been carrying out educational activities to prevent the use of smartphones while driving, and we hope that this initiative between the three companies will help solve the problem facing Aichi prefecture,” said Akira Dobashi, director in charge of CSR and environment at KDDI.

    “We developed the Driving Barista smartphone application as a fun way to help prevent traffic accidents,” said Dobashi. “We hope to contribute to accident prevention by providing a new experience for drivers.”

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