Japan tops list of lowest monthly broadband prices

Japan came second, after South Korea, in terms of access to digital communications technology, while having the lowest monthly broadband prices, according to a report released Wednesday by the International Telecommunication Union.

Editor’s note: WWJ will try and get our hands on a copy of this report; the ranking would change, no doubt, if broadband access via mobile were considered. We strongly suspect Japan would still rank as one of the cheapest on a cost-per-megabyte for traffic basis, exclusive of content fee.

As regards fixed-line broadband: what a turn-around! In 2000 — just 6 years ago — Japan had the world’s highest combined ISP & telecom costs for consumer Net access, running (then) at US$67.12 for 20 hours’ use — and that was for dial-up, not broadband. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that Japan’s Internet industry — mobile and fixed line — is anything but hypercompetitive!!