Don’t we all wish Intel would fund our dreams? In the case of UQ Communications, the Japanese WiMAX operator, Intel Capital has lavished $43 million on the operator for the purpose of building a mobile WiMAX network in Japan. The problem with the Japanese market is that things that work well overseas never catch on in Japan, and things that are hugely popular in Japan like i-Mode are complete flops outside it. So the assumptions people make about mobile data use, based on experiences in other countries, do not hold in Japan. UQ Communications is a joint venture among KDDI (which owns one third of the company), Intel Capital (17.65%), Kyocera (17.65%) and East Japan Railway (17.65%), Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi and Daiwa Securities. I am wondering if the other shareholders put more money into UQ or if it’s just Intel.
UQ is now providing WiMAX service in Tokyo, Yokohama and Kawasaki and on trains between Tokyo and Osaka.
Go to my map of mobile WiMAX service around the world.
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