The reason UQ stepped into the "WiMAX 2+ and a cheap SIM set discount" is said by President Akio Nosaka: Junya Ishino's Mobile Eye (page 1/2)

After the business was transferred to UQ Communications, UQ mobile strengthened its position as a sub-brand of au. As a result, the number of users is rapidly increasing.

　In terms of MVNO market share announced by MM Research Institute on December 26th, it ranked third after Rakuten Mobile and IIJmio, suggesting steady growth. According to the survey, the number of lines is 1,354,000. Under the same sub-brand, it is catching up with Y!mobile, which has exceeded 4 million lines.

"Giga MAX Monthly Discount" in response to requests from electronics mass retailers

　UQ Communications offers a set discount for UQ mobile and WiMAX 2+ compatible Wi-Fi router "Giga MAX Monthly Discount" ” to start. There are other MVNOs that offer similar set discounts in combination with fixed lines, but the Giga MAX monthly discount is new in that it combines WiMAX 2+, which UQ Communications built its own network, with MVNO.

However, the discount amount is 300 yen. The amount is small compared to set discounts with optical lines provided by Docomo, au, and Softbank. In response, Akio Nosaka, president of UQ Communications, said, "It is important to have discounts," not the amount.

"(Shops such as home electronics mass retailers) were asking me to withdraw 100 yen or 200 yen anyway. It makes a lot of sense to realize that. From the point of view of the seller, I would like to pay 300 yen every month. It was easier to sell if I could say that the yen would be cheaper, so I thought about various things and decided to step in. There was an opinion that 100 yen would be fine, but I thought it was too small to show my feelings, so I decided to set it to 300 yen.”

　In the past, "If you buy both a UQ mobile smartphone and a UQ WiMAX Wi-Fi router, you can get a 5,000 yen discount at stores. The results were good. The Giga MAX monthly discount is not a one-time terminal discount, but a price plan that incorporates it.

　The increase in voices from consumer electronics mass retailers is a result of the increase in the number of UQ mobile users. I have the impression that before the large-scale TV commercials, many people thought of UQ as UQ WiMAX. On the other hand, the situation is reversing now that "the number of people who use WiMAX from smartphones may have increased." "I bought a cheap smartphone because it has become quite popular, but I often choose UQ WiMAX when I'm wondering what's going on with my house."

Mr. Nosaka said, "With the increase in the number of UQ mobile smartphones, there is a synergistic effect of buying WiMAX because there is a smartphone, and conversely, buying a smartphone because there is WiMAX." The set discount can be said to strengthen that virtuous cycle.

The Wi-Fi router market is reviving, stationary models for families are also popular ”, and there has been a change in the customer base of UQ Communications. As this broader market is "conversely flowing to UQ WiMAX," demand for Wi-Fi routers is beginning to change. "In the past, gadgeters (core users who like new gadgets) used UQ WiMAX and cheap smartphones, but now they are becoming family products."

　A stationary router is growing. According to Mr. Nosaka, ``Fixed broadband is saturated, but mobile broadband is growing steadily, and there are predictions that it will grow even more this year (2019).''

Wireless fixed broadband routers are growing

　In response to this demand, UQ Communications has prepared "WiMAX HOME 01" (manufactured by NEC Platforms) that supports WiMAX high power. In line with au, Huawei's "Speed ​​Wi-Fi HOME L02" will also be released. "Fixed routers and mobile routers are two different things. Originally, there were three of them, smartphones, but we ourselves had two (smartphones and routers) tied together." changed.

UQ's fixed router "WiMAX HOME 01"

　Large-capacity plans are becoming more common on smartphones, and even UQ mobile says "(L plan) can use 21GB", UQ WiMAX's "Ultra Giga MAX" has no upper limit on the amount of data. Since there is a constraint of 10GB in 3 days, "100GB is said, but (because the time limit is about 8 hours from around 18:00 the next day to around 2:00 the day after next), you can actually use more than 100GB." can be an alternative. In the Wi-Fi router market, EMOBILE, which had been a competitor in the market, was absorbed by Softbank, and it seems that UQ Communications has been less focused on this area.

　The above-mentioned set distribution can be said to respond to these changes in the market. This is also why UQ mobile's "Famizero Student Discount" is not only for students themselves but also for their families, and the basic fee is 0 yen for up to 3 months. In the past, UQ Communications was centered on core users who used a large amount of data, but it seems that the customer base is gradually approaching major carriers.

Will UQ also introduce a separation plan?

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