Wireless carrier SoftBank Corp. said Thursday it will launch 5G services on March 27, becoming Japan's first major mobile carrier to release its plans for the superfast next-generation telecommunications service.

SoftBank said it plans to charge an additional ¥1,000 ($9) per month for 5G but will exempt existing and new customers for two years under a sales campaign that will run through August.

The nation's third-largest mobile phone carrier by number of subscribers said 5G services would be available in Tokyo, Osaka, Chiba, Aichi, Hiroshima, Ishikawa and Fukuoka prefectures from March 31 and that it eventually aims to install over 10,000 base stations by the end of March 2023.