August 29, 2008

State of Numbers of Subscribers to Telecommunications Services

(As of the end of June 2008)
As mandated by the Rules for Reporting on Telecommunications Business (MPT Ordinance No. 46 of 1988), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has compiled the numbers of fixed-line telecommunications and mobile telecommunications services contracts reported by telecommunications carriers as of the end of June 2008.

The following outlines the results.

1. Subscriber telephones and ISDN
The total number of contracts for subscriber telephones and ISDN as of the end of June 2008 was 50.261 million, a 7.3% year-on-year decrease, and this declining trend continues.

2. Number of IP phone users
The number of IP phone users as of the end of June 2008 was 18.279 million. This is an 18.7% increase from the same period of last year, and this increasing trend continues. The increase in the users of IP phones with the 0AB-J number structure (10 digits, starting with a zero) is especially remarkable, with a 68.8% year-on-year increase.

3. Mobile phones and PHS
The number of contracts for mobile phones and PHS as of the end of June 2008 totaled 108.263 million. This figure represents a 5.0% year-on-year increase, and this steady increasing trend continues.

(in millions)
  Subscriber telephone + ISDN IP telephony Mobile phone + PHS
Total 0AB-J numbers Number with 050 prefix
End of June 2008 50.261 18.279 8.654 9.625 108.263
End of June 2007 54.217 15.400 5.128 10.272 103.078
Change –3.956 2.879 3.526 –0.647 5.185
(Change rate) (–7.3%) (18.7%) (68.8%) (–6.3%) (5.0%)

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International Policy Division,
International Affairs Department
Telecommunications Bureau, MIC
TEL: +81 3 5253 5920 / FAX: +81 3 5253 5924