KDDI hints at strategic alliance to win WiMAX licence

KDDI president Tadashi Onodera said yesterday his firm would consider strategic tie-ups with other firms in order to win a 2.5GHz licence to operate next generation WiMAX data communications services. According to Kyodo World Service, Onodera confirmed the operator was ‘studying various options in the event we can’t obtain the permit on our own.’ The KDDI supremo’s comments come in the wake of an announcement by the regulator, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), that its policy document will favour new market entrants in the licence award process. Despite being an existing cellphone operator, the MIC’s policy does allow KDDI to offer 2.5GHz services in partnership with a company in which it owns a stake of no more than a third. Kyodo World Service says that other firms vying for the concessions could include broadband provider ACCA Networks and mobile giant NTT DoCoMo, both of which are looking to launch new WiMAX-based wireless services, like KDDI.