Softbank Announces Femto for Free

SoftBank Mobile Announces Femto Giveaway - including free ADSL plan with long term contract

SoftBank Corp. has started offering femtocells for free in Japan as it ramps up its national service this year, a move that could spur other operators to adopt the same model for the small home base stations.

The move comes as operators, such as AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T), have come under fire from some industry pundits for their femto prices and service offerings. (See AT&T Defends Data Caps on Femtos , AT&T Enforces Data Cap on Femtos , Vodafone Femto Ads Banned , Femto Watch: Vodafone Means Business in Spain, and Femto Watch: Vodafone Expands Footprint .)

Not only are Softbank’s femtocells offered for free, but so is the ADSL connection, when customers sign up to a two-year contract.

Another twist in Softbank’s strategy is that the access points are configured for open access, which means that any Softbank subscriber within range of a femtocell can use it. Most femto services today are offered on a closed access basis, which allows only registered users to use the access point. Via: Light Reading.