Ten years ago, the cell phone was a luxury item used by businessmen. Now just about everybody in Japan has a ‘keitai,’ and the ubiquitous little devices have transformed interpersonal communications. This essay by the inventor of the Personal Handyphone offers a look back over the brief history of the cell phone.

In the past 10 years, the Japanese communication industry has seen enormous change. It has transformed itself from a monopoly to a competitive industry and has seen the establishment of a new wireless industry dominated by NTT Docomo.

Until the mid-’80s, Japanese telecommunications was a monopoly run by the public corporation Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT). Since then, the industry has weathered a number of major turning points, including:

1) The privatization of the telecommunications industry in the mid-’80s
2) The competition between pager, Personal Handyphone and keitai (cell phones) in the mid-’90s
3) The establishment of a successful NTT Docomo business model in the late ’90s
Full story Here

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4. Advisory Panel Suggests NTT Break-up
5. DoCoMo and Partners to License W-CDMA Patents

Some sage advise when entering new turf; Stop, Look and Listen.. it’s also good to secure a local guide. Japan is the cradle of mobile civilization – we have been dedicated to this space since 2001 – trust our archives here offer some useful material.

Domestic activities continue to set the pace, and sharp players are looking at global markets. We have hard-earned industry expertise and trusted network of contacts with access to advanced intell. and potential deal flow. Need a lift.. Ok, buckle-up!