NTT docomo will release its satellite phone service ”Widestar III” on Wednesday, October 11th.
In conjunction with this, the company will sell “Widestar III Portable Terminal” and “Widestar III Installed Terminal” (hereinafter referred to as “installed terminal”) compatible with this service.
This service uses geostationary satellites to cover all of Japan and approximately 200 nautical miles from the coast of Japan, providing stable communication services (calls, data communications, SMS) that are less affected by ground disasters and weather. In addition to normal times, it can be used as a means of communication during emergencies, and as a company’s BCP measures.
For voice calls, you can make and receive calls and make emergency calls using your mobile phone number (0A0). The device is GPS compatible. It is also possible to connect directly to landline telephones. The portable terminal is also equipped with a Wi-Fi router function, and can not only be used for tethering your smartphone, but can also be used in place of a handset by installing a dedicated app. Pricing starts from a basic monthly fee of 10,450 yen (including 2,200 yen for free calls and SMS) for Type M plan contracts.