On Monday, Softbank Mobile announced it had agreed to partner with some 60 companies to provide their restaurant and coffee shop storefronts with the telco’s public WiFi service called Softbank WiFi spot[J]. The service’s subscribers are also allowed to use BB Mobile Point as well, which is a public WiFi service operated by the telco’s brother company Softbank Telecom.

Furthermore, in accordance with Softbank’s announcement that it tries to fill the mobile blind spots and signal weak coverage areas, the company started a campaign to give away WiFi access points and ADSL Internet accessibility to offices and stores for entirely free[J]. The access point provided is compatible with Spain-headquartered shared WiFi network FON, which allows any FON users who have visited sites equipped with the access points to use Internet for free or for some charge.

See Also:

CNET Japan: Softbank’s WiFi makes you feel better to use iPhone at Starbucks stores[J]

Softbank WiFi spots – participating companies and chains:

• McDonald’s[J]
• Subway[J]
• ANA (ANA’s lounges at airports)
• JAL (JAL’s lounges at airports)
• Starbucks Coffee
• Gindako[J] (nationwide chain serving Japanese octopus dumpling balls)
• Shidax (karaoke restaurant chain)
• Soup Stock Tokyo[J]
• Shirakiya[J] (izakaya chain)
• Jiyuu Kukan[J] (Internet & manga cafe chain)
• Strawberry Cones (pizza delivery chain)
• Mini Stop[J] (convenience store)
• Ginza Renoir[J] (coffee shop chain)
• Colowide (izakaya chain)
• Menard (cosmetics manufacturer & retailer)
• Tokyu Hotels
• Flags Cafe[J]
• Cafe de Crie[J]
• Royal Park Hotels
• Takara Tomy
• Steak Miya[J] (restaurant chain)
• Chimney Group[J] (restaurant chain)
• Yamano[J] (beauty parlor chain)
• Pepper Lunch[J] (restaurant chain)
• i-cafe[J] (Internet cafe chain)
• Cafe Haus[J]
• G-Com[J] (managing restaurant chains and prep schools)
• Sagami[J] (restaurant chain)
• Aisoya[J] (restaurant chain)
• Pizza Willy[J]
• Poplar[J] (convenience store)
• Aloha Table (Hawaiian restaurant chain) and more…

Author Information  Masaru IKEDA has co-founded several system integration companies and consulting firms in Tokyo. He has been contributing serial columns to nationwide newspapers and IT periodicals, also he's currently serving as tech consultant for several web companies. See this for more bio. His private blog is here.

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