[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyun-ah ] Koreans planning to study in Japan, participate in a working holiday program, or be dispatched as expatriates can now activate a local Japanese phone number before departure. This is intended to reduce the inconvenience they previously faced when signing up for and paying for telecommunications services after arriving in Japan.

KTCorporation(030200)KTCorporation (CEO Park Chan-beom), KTCorporation’s local subsidiary in Japan, announced on the 5th that it has launched “tt mobile,” a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service that allows users to apply for a Japanese mobile line before departure using their passport and the PASS simplified authentication system.

Previously, long-term residents in Japan often had to activate their mobile service after arriving in the country. While a Japanese phone number is frequently required for opening bank accounts, signing lease agreements, and various forms of identity verification, securing one before arrival was difficult. The need to prepare local documents and complete the activation process in person in Japanese was also a burden.

tt mobile allows users to complete this process in advance from Korea. Users can sign up online in Korea by following Korean-language instructions and have the USIM card delivered to their address in Korea. Upon arrival in Japan, they simply need to complete the activation process to start using the NTT DoCoMo network.

Bills can also be paid using a credit card issued in Korea under the user’s own name. This ensures that users can access the service even during the initial period after arrival, when they may not yet have a local Japanese bank account or credit card.

There are two rate plans: “Working Holiday/International Students” and “Business.” With both plans, users can enjoy unlimited data at speeds of up to 200 Kbps even after exhausting their basic data allowance.

The Working Holiday/International Student plan is intended for users aged 30 or younger. It consists of four tiers, ranging from 5GB for 1,210 yen per month to 10GB, 30GB, and 50GB for 3,300 yen per month. Voice calls and text messages are billed separately based on usage.

The Business Plan is aimed at users who make frequent business calls, such as expatriates, business travelers, and those involved in establishing local corporations in Japan. It consists of three tiers—10GB, 30GB, and 50GB—ranging from 2,970 to 4,400 yen per month, and all plans offer unlimited domestic voice calls in Japan.

To commemorate the service launch, KTCorporation will waive the international USIM shipping fee—worth 5,500 yen—for customers who complete their application by December 31.

The company is also offering a “Basic Plan” for residents who have obtained a My Number Card in Japan. With this plan, users can choose one of Japan’s major mobile networks, including NTT Docomo, KD Corporation, and SoftBank.

With this launch, KTCorporation Japan’s business scope is expected to expand from a focus on corporate customers to include individual customers. Until now, KTCorporation Japan has operated its Japanese business primarily through B2B services, such as dedicated international lines between South Korea and Japan and corporate private networks.

Going forward, the company plans to expand its telecommunications services to Korean individual customers staying in Japan long-term, such as expatriates, international students, and working holiday participants.

Park Chan-beom, CEO of KTCorporation Japan, said, “We designed this service so that Koreans embarking on new challenges in Japan can prepare a stable communication environment even before they leave their home country,” adding, “We will continue to expand convenient communication services for Koreans visiting or staying long-term in Japan.”