Rakuten to expand free mobile phone trial before launch of full-service
E-commerce giant Rakuten Inc.'s mobile phone unit said Thursday it would expand its free mobile phone trial service, currently limited to 5,000 users in major cities, ahead of its April launch of a full-scale wireless service. Rakuten Mobile Inc. said it would provide the free ...
Mobile phone carrier NTT Docomo Inc. said Wednesday it will launch in March a video-streaming service based on fifth-generation, or 5G, high-speed wireless technology. The service will deliver high-definition video of concerts, theatrical performances and sporting events to smartphone users. The launch of the service comes ...
British children get the right to know if parents are spying on them online
British children will get the right to know when their parents are spying on them online under a binding code for technology firms, a data watchdog announced on Wednesday. Companies must tell children if their products include parental controls to limit access or watch over ...
Tokyo court orders Softbank to hand over phone number of commenter who defamed firm
In a rare ruling, a court has ordered mobile service provider SoftBank Corp. to disclose the phone number of an individual who posted defamatory comments online about a real estate company in Tokyo, a lawyer said Thursday. The Tokyo District Court ordered the carrier last ...
Japan considering fee system for 5G networks to subsidize launch of services in rural areas
The communications ministry is considering introducing a system to charge internet users a fee so that fiber-optic infrastructure for 5G wireless networks can be constructed and maintained across the country, informed sources said Tuesday. Under the plan, major mobile carriers and other companies providing internet ...
Senators must stay quiet and unplugged during Trump impeachment trial
No cellphones. No talking. No escape. That's the reality during the Senate's impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, which will begin each day with a proclamation: "All persons are commanded to keep silence, on pain of imprisonment." After that, 100 senators will sit at their ...
Social media abuzz over Kagawa's move to limit kids' daily smartphone fix
A draft ordinance designed to curb internet and video game addiction among children and teenagers in Kagawa Prefecture has sparked controversy, as it seeks to restrict daily smartphone usage for those under 18 to 60 minutes on weekdays. If it comes into effect in April ...
Rakuten to launch full-scale mobile phone services in Japan in April
Rakuten Inc. aims to launch full mobile phone carrier services in April, according to Hiroshi Mikitani, the head of the major cybermall operator. The Rakuten group initially planned to begin mobile services last Oct. 1 but postponed the move due to a delay in establishing ...
U.N. greenlights Russia's cybercrime convention resolution, alarming rights advocates
The United Nations on Friday approved a Russian-led resolution that aims to create a new convention on cybercrime, alarming rights groups and Western powers that fear it is an attempt to restrict freedom online. The General Assembly approved the resolution, sponsored by Russia and backed ...
China introduces mandatory face scans for customers who have been issued new phone numbers
As Beijing continues to tighten cyberspace controls, telecom operators will be required to collect face scans when registering new phone users at offline outlets starting Dec. 1, according to the country's information technology authority. In September, China's Industry and Information Technology Ministry issued a notice ...
Typhoon Hagibis highlights need for multilingual emergency alerts in Japan
Alerts in Japanese warning about the typhoon left many foreign visitors and residents confused about whether they should evacuate.
Japanese government to make it easier for budget smartphone providers to reduce call charges
The government will make it easier for budget smartphone providers to cut calling charges, based on a report released by a panel of experts Friday. In the report, the panel, set up by the communications ministry, asks the government to draw up guidelines to reduce ...
