KDDI wins Wi-Fi spectrum in Japan

Japan's Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has allocated additional wireless spectrum to KDDI as the country's mobile carriers seek to boost download speeds.

According to The Japan Times on Saturday, the nation's second largest mobile carrier will be allowed to use the new 2500MHz spectrum after the ministry adopted recommendations from a regulatory panel. The spectrum will be allocated to UQ Communications, which is a KDDI affiliate.

Business units from both Softbank and KDDI had applied for the spectrum, but the regulatory panel concluded KDDI presented better utilization plans for frequency assets inside buildings and tunnels, the report noted.

Previously was not released by the government, the bandwidth is part of Japan's plans to make new spectrum available as consumers increasingly use smartphones and tablets to surf the Internet.

Softbank, however, lodged a petition against the decision and requested for records related to the advisory opinion. Noting the company will be at "a huge disadvantage", Softbank's president Masayoshi Son said in the report: "The process is ridiculous and very unfair. We need to fight for our users. I'm fully prepared to die if necessary to say this."

Son added the telco may file an administrative lawsuit if the ministry decides not to disclose the records.