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Press Releases 2002

Yahoo! BB Tops One Million Subscribers
Commemorative Free Trial Campaign Begins
New applicants will receive up to two free months monthly fixed charges and
unlimited BB Phone Service*1

Sep. 25, 2002

The operators of the “Yahoo! BB” comprehensive broadband service, SOFTBANK Group (Group representative: Masayoshi Son), BB Technologies Corporation (BBT) and Yahoo Japan Corporation, are pleased to announce that the “Yahoo! BB”, bundled service of ADSL access service and the “BB Phone” broadband telephone service, have set a new world’s record*3 for the shortest time*2 to reach one million subscribers, outdoing previous record holders in South Korea and United States. To commemorate this achievement, “Yahoo! BB” has launched a free trial campaign for new applicants signing up between September 26 and November 30. The campaign offers up to two-months free fixed charges plus unlimited BB Phone usage*1 (only monthly fixed charges are free if BB Phone is applied for alone).

The “Yahoo! BB One Million Subscribers Commemorative Free Trial Campaign” will waive up to the first two months worth of monthly charges for new applicants for “Yahoo! BB 12M,” a high-speed ADSL access service with a maximum downstream rate of 12 Mbps. The waiver is a value of 7,086 yen (or 6,286 yen for a maximum two-month waiver of fixed charges for “Yahoo! BB 8M,” an ADSL access service with a maximum downstream rate of 8 Mbps). New applicants will also be given unlimited dialing*1 on BB Phone for a period of up to two months (first month of usage to the end of the next month). New applicants for the BB Phone service only will enjoy up to 2,506 yen in free monthly fixed charges.

To encourage even more people to experience Yahoo! BB and BB Phone, BBT has agreed to the bear*4*5 the initial set up cost of 3,850 yen (NTT contract charge 800 yen, NTT construction charge*4 3,050 yen) for customers who elect to cancel*4 their contract during the up to two-month campaign period.

In conjunction with this campaign, the previous “Y! BB Free Trial Campaign” that began on August 26, 2002 will be terminated because of a partial overlap in benefits. The new campaign adds unlimited dialing*1 on BB Phone for up to two months to the benefits of the previous campaign, making it even easier to sign up for users considering the switch to ADSL.

Yahoo! BB began commercial service in September of last year and has attracted a loyal customer base around Japan, outdoing previous record holders in South Korea and the United States to set a new world’s record for the shortest*2 time required to break*3 the one million subscriber mark. While the new campaign is part of Yahoo! BB’ efforts, we will contribute to spread the service even farther.

The SOFTBANK Group wishes to contribute to society by providing innovative broadband telecommunications infrastructure and services that enrich the means of human communication.

Monthly fixed charges for Yahoo! BB services

Up to two months free monthly fixed charges will be offered to applicants during the campaign period (BBT will bear the NTT ADSL line usage costs).

As at September 25, 2002
  Yahoo! BB 12M Yahoo! BB 8M BB Phone only During campaign period
Yahoo! BB ADSL usage charge 2,480 yen 2,280 yen - Up to two months free
BB Phone monthly base charge Included in standard service Included in standard service 390 yen
Amount equivalent NTT ADSL line usage charge 173 yen 173 yen 173 yen Borne by BBT for up to two months
Connection equipment rental fee 890 yen 690 yen 690 yen Up to two months free

In addition to the above charges, the user will also be responsible for the monthly base charge for NTT subscriber lines.

Initial start up costs

Will be billed by BBT on behalf of NTT at the conclusion of the maximum two-month free trial period.

Will be borne by BBT if the customer cancels during the maximum two-month trial period.*4 *5

As at September 25, 2002
NTT contract fee 800 yen
NTT construction charge*5 3,050 yen

BB Phone charges during campaign period

New applicants for Yahoo! BB (ADSL Service) will receive up to two-months free use of BB Phone. Applicants for BB Phone service only will be charged calling charges and consumption tax.

As at September 25, 2002
  Yahoo! BB 12M Yahoo! BB 8M BB Phone alone
Calling charges Metered Metered Metered
During campaign period Unlimited*1 Unlimited*1 Metered
[Notes]
  • *1Applications for BB Phone service alone will receive free monthly fixed charges only, and will be charged standard calling charges and consumption tax for BB Phone usage during the campaign period. Should you be unable to use BB Phone for some reason during the campaign period, calls will be automatically detoured to your “My Line” carrier. You will be responsible for charges in these cases. Please wait for the BB Phone dial tone before dialing. BB Phone service may be suspended pursuant to the “BB Phone Terms of Service” for violation of the terms of service or other improper usage.
  • *2Based on a SOFTBANK’s survey.
  • *3It is projected that Yahoo! BB subscribers should cross the one million line by the end of September.
  • *4BBT will bear the start-up costs to be paid to NTT for customers canceling during the trial period conditional upon cancellation being completed (line removal been completed) during the maximum two-month trial period and the connection equipment being returned within 30 days (for customers renting equipment). Line removal will be completed within approximately one week of cancellation.
  • *5The NTT construction charges to be borne by BBT are limited to NTT charges for enabling an analog line to utilize Yahoo! BB and BB Phone. You will be responsible for all charges for switching from an ISDN line to an analog line, for internal wiring at your place of residence, and for any adjustments of NTT lines or replacements of safety equipment.
  • *This campaign is not open to customers already using Yahoo! BB/BB Phone services, customers who have already applied for the services, or customers who have previously cancelled services and are now reapplying.
  • *Your telephone carrier will bill you for all telephone calls not carried by BB Phone and for all added-value service charges.
  • *Free rental of connection equipment applies only to customers who have elected to rent equipment at the time of application.
  • *BBT will bill for NTT contract charges and construction charges at the conclusion of the maximum two-month trial period.
  • *This campaign cannot be used in conjunction with the “Fiber Optic Installment No Problem! Campaign.”
  • *Service content, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice due to improvements, etc.
  • *All prices and charges are exclusive of consumption tax.
  • Releases, announcements, presentations and other information available from this page and elsewhere on this website were prepared based on information available and views held at the time of preparation and speak only as of the respective dates on which they are filed or used by SOFTBANK or the applicable group company, as the case may be. Such information is subject to change and may become out-of-date. Such information may also contain forward-looking statements which are by their nature subject to various risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and future developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Please read legal notices in its entirety prior to viewing any information available on this website.