Tokyo Telecommunication Network Co. (TTNet) said Tuesday it will reduce its city call rates in the Tokyo area next month, four months ahead of schedule.
The move is seen as the start of a price war with rival NTT East Corp.
TTNet, an affiliate of Tokyo Electric Power Co., was to apply as early as today to the Posts and Telecommunications Ministry to change its city telephone rate reduction plan, company officials said.
Originally, TTNet was planning a May cut in daytime calling rates for weekdays -- from 9 yen per three minutes to 8.7 yen. The reduction is now scheduled for around Jan. 10.
The move comes in advance of the start of TTNet's Myline service in May. The service allows callers to use their preferred carrier without dialing prefix numbers.
The new service has prompted other telecom carriers to reduce their rates.
NTT East, the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. group's regional telecom carrier for eastern Japan, announced last week that it will reduce its city call rate for daytime calls made on weekdays from 10 yen per three minutes to 9 yen.