Softbank Returns New License
Softbank Corp. told the government that the Internet conglomerate will return a license it acquired in November 2005 when the ministry also awarded new carrier licenses to eAccess Ltd. and IP Mobile Inc., Softbank said it has adopted the more cost-effective measure of using the infrastructure set up by Vodafone K.K., Vodafone Plc.’s Japan arm, rather than starting business from scratch. Softbank President Masayoshi Son met Heizo Takenaka, the communications minister, to inform him that he was returning the business license.
Son, who has said he will abandon the “Vodafone” brand name, told reporters that the executive board will finalize a new name when it meets next month. He said the company will start selling models under the new brand in this fall, eyeing the start in November of the “portability service” that will allow subscribers to switch mobile phone operators without changing their phone numbers. Continue>>