unless you buy from vodafone online shop, it is now almost impossible to
get a new vodafone handset without 2 years contract, and when you cancel
the contract within 2years, you need to pay 10,000yen.
so this articles are saying softbank is going to increase the penalty
from current 10,000yen.
i doubt it will promote customer loyalty. at least now users can get au
or FOMA handsets without such 2year-contract.
On Wed, 6 Sep 2006 14:46:31 +0900
"ben@benmiller.com" <ben@benmiller.com> wrote:
> I read on the seekingalpha site:
>
> <quote on>
> Industry sources said that Japan's Softbank Corp. (SFTBF.PK) has plans
> to make mobile phone customers refund the cost of subsidizing phones
> if they cancel their subscription within two years. The move is seen
> as helping the company spread its costs over time and promote customer
> loyalty as the industry braces for a new rule from October that lets
> users keep their numbers when switching operators. The current
> situation typically allows Japanese mobile phone operators substantial
> subsidies to retailers to bring down the retail price of phones, or
> even offer them free of charge. They earn back the cost over time
> through monthly fees. Softbank's bestselling digital TV phones made by
> Sharp Corp. (SHCAY.PK) cost Softbank about 70,000 yen (US$600) but are
> currently priced as low as 24,000 yen (US$200). Softbank borrowed 1.2
> trillion yen (US$10.2 billion) to buy Vodafone Group Plc.'s (VOD)
> local unit to become Japan's third largest mobile carrier. Sources
> said that Softbank also aims to catch up with industry leader NTT
> DoCoMo Inc. (DCM) and KDDI Corp. by expanding its network and making
> new phones.
> <quote off>
Arnold P. Siboro (asiboro@maltech.jp)
"A tidy desk is a sign of untidy mind"
--The Sputtering R&D Machine
The Innovative Enterprise Aug 2002 - Harvard Business Review
Received on Wed Sep 6 09:47:28 2006