Rakuten offers discount 5G in win for Suga's price-cut push

Newcomer mounts challenge against Japan's big three mobile carriers

20200930N rakuten 5G mikitani

Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani unveils the company's new 5G plan on Sept. 30. (Photo by Shihoko Nakaoka)

AKIHIRO OTA, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Japanese billionaire Hiroshi Mikitani's e-commerce group Rakuten on Wednesday announced it will offer an unlimited 5G wireless data plan for roughly half the price of the country's top three mobile providers, in a move that could trigger discounts across the industry.

Rakuten's 5G plan will be available for 2,980 yen ($28) a month plus tax within its service area, the same rate as its 4G plan. The e-commerce company is a relative newcomer to mobile services, this spring breaking into an industry long dominated by NTT Docomo, KDDI and SoftBank. It hopes to attract more customers through affordable and easy-to-understand plans.

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