EMOBILE

EMOBILE was a Japanese telecommunications brand established in 2005 by Sachio Semmoto as a subsidiary of eAccess. It was created to provide mobile broadband and later mobile voice services in Japan, initially concentrating on data connectivity rather than conventional cellular calling. The business entered a market in which mobile operators were already well established, but sought to compete through relatively fast wireless data services, competitively priced access, and partnerships with fixed-line Internet service providers. The brand's development was closely connected to eAccess, which had been founded in 1999 as an ADSL broadband provider. eAccess used EMOBILE to extend its communications offering from fixed-line broadband into mobile access. In its early phase, EMOBILE supplied data-oriented services through USB modems and other mobile broadband equipment. Because the company initially focused on data services, it was less visible to consumers than Japan's large integrated mobile operators. Its profile increased after it worked with NTT DoCoMo to provide voice services, allowing the business to offer a broader mobile proposition while retaining its data-centered positioning. EMOBILE expanded through successive generations of wireless technology. It introduced HSUPA in metropolitan areas in 2009 and later made HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA services available, with advertised peak speeds increasing as network technology and compatible modems improved. In March 2012, it launched LTE service, initially advertising speeds of up to 75 Mbit/s and identifying a path toward higher theoretical speeds. The company also operated reseller and virtual-network arrangements with fixed-line Internet providers, including ASAHI Net, helping distribute its mobile services beyond its own direct customer channels. By early 2009, EMOBILE stated that its network reached approximately 90 percent of Japan's population, and its reported subscriber base exceeded 1.5 million by April of that year. The business nevertheless faced the structural pressures affecting Japanese telecommunications: intense competition, high network-investment requirements, rapidly changing standards, and customer expectations for faster data services. eAccess became wholly owned by SoftBank Corporation on 1 January 2013. This transaction brought EMOBILE into the SoftBank corporate structure and positioned it for integration with other SoftBank-related mobile assets. EMOBILE's independent corporate identity ended during the 2014 consolidation of eAccess and Willcom. The combined operation was associated with the Ymobile brand, which brought together eAccess's mobile broadband and cellular capabilities with Willcom's PHS network and subscriber base. On 1 April 2015, Ymobile Corporation merged into SoftBank Mobile Corporation, now SoftBank Corporation, while the Y!mobile brand continued under SoftBank. EMOBILE therefore survives primarily as a predecessor brand and historical network business rather than as a current standalone operator.

EMOBILE originated within eAccess, a Japanese broadband company founded in 1999 by Sachio Semmoto. eAccess initially focused on ADSL fixed-line Internet access, but established EMOBILE Ltd. on 5 January 2005 to enter mobile telecommunications. The new business was designed principally as a mobile-data provider. Rather than beginning as a conventional voice-led cellular operator, it used wireless broadband services and associated modems to address the growing demand for portable Internet access. The company deployed mobile services using successive 3G-based technologies, including HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, and later LTE. Its early portfolio included data subscriptions, USB modems, and other access devices. EMOBILE also worked with fixed-line Internet service providers, including ASAHI Net, through reseller or virtual-network arrangements. These partnerships helped it reach customers outside a purely direct retail model. The company stated that its network covered about 90 percent of Japan's population by March 2009. EMOBILE initially had limited public recognition because it concentrated on data connectivity. Its position changed as it joined with NTT DoCoMo to provide voice services, enabling it to compete more directly in the broader mobile market. The company continued to emphasize network performance and mobile Internet pricing. It introduced HSUPA in metropolitan areas in April 2009, with claimed upload speeds of up to 5.8 Mbit/s. By the beginning of 2011, selected metropolitan services offered HSPA+ speeds of 21 Mbit/s and DC-HSDPA speeds of 42 Mbit/s, depending on the subscriber's modem. On 15 March 2012, EMOBILE introduced LTE service. The initial advertised peak speed was 75 Mbit/s, with the company indicating that the theoretical rate could later rise to 112 Mbit/s. This progression reflected the competitive importance of faster mobile data in Japan, where operators were investing heavily in newer standards and consumers were moving from basic mobile use toward intensive Internet access. The broader eAccess group underwent significant ownership and organizational change. On 1 January 2013, eAccess became a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank Corporation. In 2014, eAccess was combined with Willcom, a Japanese PHS operator that had historically offered flat-rate voice and data services. The combined business adopted the Ymobile identity, bringing together EMOBILE's cellular and mobile-broadband capabilities with Willcom's PHS operations. The consolidation continued on 1 April 2015, when Ymobile Corporation merged into SoftBank Mobile Corporation, now known as SoftBank Corporation. The Y!mobile brand remained in use after the legal merger, but EMOBILE ceased to operate as a separate contemporary consumer brand. Its historical significance lies in its role as an early Japanese mobile-broadband challenger and as one of the operating predecessors of SoftBank's Y!mobile business.

• 2015

  Ymobile merges into SoftBank Mobile

  [1]Ymobileen.wikipedia.org

  Ymobile Corporation merged into SoftBank Mobile on 1 April, while the Y!mobile brand continued under SoftBank Corporation.

• 2014

  EMOBILE is combined with Willcom

  [1]Ymobileen.wikipedia.org

  eAccess and Willcom were merged to form the Ymobile business, ending EMOBILE's independent corporate identity.

• 2013

  eAccess becomes a SoftBank subsidiary

  [1]Ymobileen.wikipedia.org

  SoftBank Corporation acquired full ownership of eAccess, placing EMOBILE within the SoftBank corporate structure.

• 2012

  LTE service begins

  [1]Ymobileen.wikipedia.org

  EMOBILE launched LTE service with an initially advertised peak speed of 75 Mbit/s.

• 2009

  HSUPA reaches metropolitan areas

  [1]Ymobileen.wikipedia.org

  EMOBILE introduced HSUPA in metropolitan areas and promoted upload speeds of up to 5.8 Mbit/s for supported devices.

• 2005

  EMOBILE is founded

  [1]Ymobileen.wikipedia.org

  Sachio Semmoto founded EMOBILE Ltd. as an eAccess subsidiary on 5 January to provide mobile telecommunications, initially with a strong focus on data services.

• 1999

  eAccess is established

  [1]Ymobileen.wikipedia.org

  eAccess was founded as a Japanese ADSL fixed-line broadband provider, later becoming the corporate base from which EMOBILE was created.

A Japanese challenger telecommunications brand built around affordable, high-speed mobile data access, later expanded into voice and LTE services.

• Mobile data service · 2005

  EMOBILE mobile broadband

  EMOBILE's original core offering was wireless broadband for computers and other connected devices. The service was distributed through dedicated data subscriptions and compatible modems, with the brand emphasizing portability, network reach, and higher data performance than traditional low-speed mobile access.

• 3G mobile data service · 2009

  EMOBILE HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA

  The brand expanded its 3G portfolio through HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA services. In major metropolitan areas, compatible subscriber equipment could access substantially higher advertised speeds, making these offerings central to EMOBILE's competitive positioning before LTE became its newer-generation platform.

• LTE mobile data service · 2012

  EMOBILE LTE

  Introduced in March 2012, EMOBILE LTE was the brand's next-generation mobile broadband service. It initially promoted advertised peak speeds of up to 75 Mbit/s, with higher theoretical performance identified as a future possibility. The service extended EMOBILE's data-first strategy into the LTE era.

• Mobile voice service

  EMOBILE mobile voice services

  After working with NTT DoCoMo to provide voice services, EMOBILE broadened beyond its original data-only profile. Voice capability made the brand more relevant to general mobile customers while its network and product messaging continued to focus heavily on mobile Internet access.

• Telecommunications equipment

  EMOBILE data modems and mobile Wi-Fi equipment

  EMOBILE marketed hardware such as USB data modems and mobile Wi-Fi devices alongside its network subscriptions. These products allowed laptops and other devices to connect over the operator's cellular data network and were important to the brand's early mobile-broadband business model.

• 2015

  Merge Ymobile into SoftBank MobileM&A

  Background

  The newly formed Ymobile operation was further integrated into SoftBank's main mobile company.

  Action taken

  Ymobile Corporation merged into SoftBank Mobile on 1 April.

  Aftermath

  The Y!mobile brand continued under SoftBank Corporation, but EMOBILE no longer existed as a standalone corporate operator.

  Source

• 2014

  Combine eAccess and WillcomM&A

  Background

  SoftBank sought to combine complementary mobile assets, including EMOBILE's cellular-data operations and Willcom's PHS business.

  Action taken

  eAccess and Willcom were merged to form Ymobile.

  Aftermath

  EMOBILE ceased to function as an independent operating brand, while its network and services became part of the Ymobile lineage.

  Source

• 2013

  Move into full SoftBank ownershipM&A

  Background

  eAccess and its EMOBILE subsidiary were being integrated into SoftBank's telecommunications portfolio.

  Action taken

  SoftBank Corporation made eAccess a wholly owned subsidiary on 1 January.

  Aftermath

  The transaction enabled further consolidation with Willcom and contributed to the formation of the Ymobile business.

  Source

• 2012

  Launch LTE mobile broadbandProduct launch

  Background

  Japanese mobile operators were moving toward faster wireless standards as consumer demand for mobile Internet grew.

  Action taken

  EMOBILE launched LTE service on 15 March with an advertised initial peak speed of 75 Mbit/s.

  Aftermath

  LTE became the brand's newest-generation data platform before the business was consolidated into Ymobile and subsequently SoftBank.

  Source

• 2005

  Enter mobile telecommunications through data servicesStrategy

  Background

  eAccess was primarily a fixed-line ADSL broadband provider, while demand for portable Internet access was increasing in Japan.

  Action taken

  Sachio Semmoto established EMOBILE as an eAccess subsidiary focused initially on mobile data rather than a traditional voice-led operator.

  Aftermath

  The data-first model gave EMOBILE a distinct market position and established the platform for later voice, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, and LTE services.

  Source

1. 1Ymobileen.wikipedia.org
2. 2EMOBILE official websiteemobile.jp