``Unfair bargain sale of 1-yen smartphones in violation of antitrust laws'' and ``Corona wreck has no impact''? MVNO executive talks

　How has the MVNO and mobile market changed over the past year? And did the corona wreck, which ended with the thorough implementation of optional masks and the transition to type 5, affecting MVNOs?

　A report based on the "8th MVNO Study Group (sponsored by MMD Research Institute, held on April 6, 2023)" where three "faces" from AEON Mobile, mineo, and NURO Mobile all took the stage and looked down on the industry. To do.

Latest market share. MVNO is 9.7%, but "cheap SIM" is 42.7%! ?

　First of all, from the latest data from the MMD Institute. Only 9.7% of all users use MVNO as their main line.

　Rakuten Mobile, which had grown at “0 yen”, has calmed down after the abolition of 0 yen, and the share occupied by the four carriers has remained almost unchanged over the past year.

　Although the number of main brand subscribers decreased for the three major companies, they were supported by an increase in low-priced plans and sub-brands, and overall the number of subscribers remained almost unchanged.

　Looking at MVNO alone, it is only 9.7%, but if you look at the share of "cheap data communication services" including sub-brands, Rakuten Mobile, and low-priced plans, it actually reaches 40%. The three carrier main brands are below 60%. As we will see later, this can also be an opportunity for MVNOs.

MVNO Symposium

Speakers from AEON Mobile, mineo, and Neuromobile

　Executives from MVNO companies all took the stage and held discussions.  In a nutshell, it is a “communications service made by merchants”. When the price is lowered, we will lower the price for all customers and support the AEON customer base by utilizing the actual store. Communication speed is inferior to major companies, but there are no complaints by explaining that from the beginning. NURO mobile. Sony Group AI technology predicts future traffic volume, streamlines bandwidth usage, and pursues uniqueness such as unlimited upload traffic volume. Sony enthusiasts choose it, so the sales ratio of Xperia is also high

Looking back on the past year. What is the impact of corona?

　First, looking back over the past year, what is your impression of the changes in the MVNO industry and users?

　Yasukazu Fukudome of mineo said, "Since the spring of 2021, sub-brands and MVNO companies have announced new price plans, allowing users to choose the best price plan that suits their lifestyle. The government has implemented measures to facilitate switching, such as carrying carrier emails, abolishing cancellation fees, and banning SIM locks. .

　Mr. Ryuji Ihara of Aeon Mobile said, "There hasn't been much change in the user base itself, and people who used MVNO until now are using it, and the chasm has not been crossed." MNO users are still moving to MVNO in the past year Recognition that they are not.

　However, when I listen to the voices of users when I stand at the store, I feel that the number of users of major low-priced plans such as Ahamo and LINEMO has increased. For MNO users who have switched to major low-cost plans, the threshold for transitioning to MVNO will be lower, so I have high hopes for future developments.

　Mr. Naoki Tanaka, NURO Mobile, acknowledged that there was a difficult phase in liquidity, but at a time when people's lives were moving online due to the decrease in opportunities to restrict going out due to the corona crisis, psychological barriers to purchases and contracts The number of people joining after seeing the website has decreased , and the number of people joining after seeing the website is increasing.

　Do other companies have the same perception? Both sides are negative about this. mineo was originally 90% web acquisition, and it hasn't changed even in the corona wreck .

　Aeon Mobile had 90% store acquisition and 10% web acquisition, but there was a change to 20% web acquisition due to the corona crisis, but the cause was not corona, but self-analysis that the website renovation worked.

　By the way, Aeon Mobile, which also handles services such as MNO, said that fiber-optic lines and DoCoMo's home 5G were growing due to Corona.

How will the industry change in the future?

　How will the industry change in the future?

　mineo expects the harsh market environment to continue, with commoditization and intense price competition. He said that it is important for MVNO companies to pursue not only base value such as price and functions, but also how to pursue unique services that other companies do not have.

　NURO Mobile believes that with the end of Corona, social life will return, and the use of smartphones will reach a new stage with the enrichment of content suitable for 5G. We would like to develop MVNO services with a high degree of freedom that go beyond mere means of communication, and services that meet user demand.

　AEON MOBILE said, "We have not grown beyond the growth of the adopter layer (the early adopters who are sensitive to trends). The main reason for users who remain in MNOs because they cannot satisfy their desire for cheapness is oppression and trouble. For example, ``MVNO from Docomo'' is a big barrier, but just by putting Ahamo in between, the scenery you see next time will be completely different ." He expressed his view that it will grow from there once he learns that he can carry his phone number and carrier email, and once he experiences that it is not a troublesome procedure like an MNO.

　By the way, in response to the question, "Do you think that online career plans will appear and consumers' perception of online is overcoming?" “People in their 60s and 70s have become accustomed to shopping online,” and NURO Mobile said, “The awareness that online shopping is cheaper is taking root in the market, and online plans have lowered barriers.”

How do au and Softbank see each other as sub-lines, MVNO?

　Recently, the reason why users tried to switch to MVNO was the abolition of Rakuten Mobile's 0 yen and au's communication failure. In response to the failure, au and Softbank are also moving to provide sub-lines to each other. How do companies react to these developments and how do they respond?

　With mineo, the number of customers subscribing to mineo for sub-lines in preparation for communication failures and disasters is increasing, and it is said that 30% of users actually use multiple SIMs.

　Aeon Mobile is a secondary wholesaler, so they don't know the actual situation, but while it looks like a business strategy move rather than a clay pipe shop move, they evaluate the initiative itself as a good one.

　By the way, mineo and NURO mobile can be selected from three companies' lines, and ion mobile can be selected from two companies, docomo and au. In fact, it can also be used for backup purposes in the event of a failure or disaster.

　NURO Mobile said that it would be interesting to see how the sub-line service will be provided to MVNOs, and how it can be developed in conjunction with the eSIM provided by NURO Mobile in the future.

1-yen smartphones are sold at unfair bargains

　The so-called “1-yen smartphone”, an excessive bargain sale that is being discussed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Fair Trade Commission.

　Mr. Ihara of Aeon Mobile recognizes this as " an unfair bargain under the Antimonopoly Act ." This is because communication and terminals are now separated.

　For a long time in the era of the three MNO companies, even if they sold for 1 yen, the same service could be provided in the same way, so even if the cost was below the cost, it would not affect other businesses, so it did not fall under the category of unfair dumping. However, it is currently being sold by MVNOs, manufacturers, and retailers, so the reasoning is that it is applicable.

　If it violates the Fair Trade Commission's Anti-Monopoly Law instead of the Telecommunications Business Law under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the story will change, so as an MNO, we have no choice but to worry about it, and we have high expectations. It is said that there is. So-called "hopping" and resellers who transfer to MNP within a month. According to Aeon Mobile, the public trade has also moved and attracted attention, and the damage has increased rapidly, and the survey results at the end of February have settled

Overall review

　The MVNO has a good opportunity from now on, as the government's transfer activation and the online plan of the three companies have penetrated. I would like to expect further growth from here.