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Feb. 18, 2008

Today, a government communications official ordered Japan’s largest wireless carrier, NTT Docomo, to open its network to smaller wireless competitors such as Japan Communications.

The announcement emerged through wire reports from Japan this morning.

Wireless industry observers say this is significant because it's the first time for such an intervention in Japan, and that this could potentially set similar action in other countries.

For the most part, open network access is a very controversial topic around the world, given the academic questions of who owns airwaves, and to what extent investors are responsible for sharing them.

In the U.S., a similar issue currently exists regarding the FCC’s 700 MHz spectrum auction.

The nationwide C-Block will have to be opened by its winners, but the definition of just how “open” still remains very unclear and is the subject of a lot of controversy at this time.

In Japan Communications’ case, the smaller company intends to build a hybrid cellular-handyphone network terminal and e-book devices.

It will be interesting to see how this case unfolds itself, and many are predicting this will escalate a lot more before any acceptable solution is found, not just in Japan but in the U.S. as well as abroard.

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Source: NTT Docomo.

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