KDDI To Start U.S. Keitai Service

[Mulboyne]

[floatr][/floatr]Reuters: Japan's KDDI to provide cellphone service in U.S
Japan's KDDI Corp. said on Sunday it aims to offer a cellphone service in the United States using a network operated by Sprint Nextel Corp. KDDI, the second-biggest mobile phone operator in Japan after NTT DoCoMo Inc., aims to cater to mainly Japanese customers in the United States, a spokesman said. Tokyo-based KDDI will offer services using CDMA standard, developed by Qualcomm Inc, and adopted by U.S. carriers such as Verizon <VZ.N> and Sprint Nextel. That is different to the W-CDMA standard of technology popular in Europe and Asia...The Asahi newspaper said KDDI aimed for a full U.S. roll-out by the middle of this month, offering phones made by makers such as Sanyo Electric under the KDDI Mobile brand...more...

[DrP]

I can't imagine them banking their MVNO entirely on Japanese customers in the US. Doesn't seem reasonable. However, compared to how the typical US carrier provides service level, KDDI should have a pretty good shot if they follow their Japanese SLA into the US. This is where they would win. Plus, they could introduce many more cool handsets, and potentially 'EZ Menu' services which don't exist, per se, in the US.

[Kuang_Grade]

While the MVNO row can be a tough one to hoe, it is not impossible if they do it smartly and keep their marketing expenses down (which is one of the reasons why the ESPN sports themed MVNO folded, that along with it was a pretty stupid idea to begin with...I figured their base was likely only bookies and sports gambling addicts).

Helio is having a tough time in the US...they seem to keep shifting their retail partners...I think they lost Circuit City a few months back and their vaguely cryptic commercials of "don't call it a phone" haven't necessarily helped either, since phone service is still what most US folks look for when they, you know, want to buy a phone.

[YT]dwQkU7jLXRY[/YT]

Helio is trying to appeal to the well off youngsters with heavy media consumption needs with their fairly slick (for the US) phones and high speed data network access but I've heard a good number of their users are Korean-Americans (although their sexy phones probably would appeal in that market anyway)...Helio is half owned by SK Telecom and they are using, I believe, either Samsung or LG handsets, so there is likely some 'K-power' aspect for the interest and support by Korean Americans.
J folks are, for the most part, not spread out all over the US, so their marketing efforts shouldn't be too expensive if they keep their focus on J folks, the phones are not typical US fugly, and if they adjust the pricing/technology so ketai mail back and forth to Japan is cheap, they might be able to build enough of a base to be successful.

[American Oyaji]

They will make their money concentrating on where J-folk work and play and offering Japanese language capable phones in the U.S. that will work in Japan as well.

[emperor]

same story via engadget