Japan Telecom Co. is considering entering the local telephone business as early as next year in major cities such as Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, with rates lower than those offered by its rivals, it was learned Tuesday.
According to sources close to the carrier, the firm, which is closely tied to the Japan Railway group, hopes to set its rates lower than the 10 yen per three minutes charged by Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. and the 9 yen per three minutes set by Tokyo Telecommunication Network Co. (TTNet).
Japan Telecom will aim to expand the service after establishing it in the larger cities, the sources said.