Outline of ASTEL Tokyo Inc.

ASTEL Tokyo Inc. was established on September 12, 1994, and has commenced its services as of October 1, 1995, after obtaining a permission as the Type I telecommunications business on January 31, 1995.

The company's name "ASTEL" is an acronym for "Advanced Style of TELecommunications" while conveying the nuance of "tomorrow's telephone" (as "tomorrow" in Japanese is "asu") at the same time.
ASTEL Tokyo's service area covers nine prefectures including Japan's capital city, Tokyo, which are approximately 11% of the total area of Japan and 34% of the population.
There are 10 ASTEL group carriers in every region, capitalized by long distance carriers, general trading firms, electric power companies and local interests. Although an independent business entity, each of those carriers will work together to provide quality services across the country.

Features of ASTEL's Communications Services

While ASTEL's PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) will initially provide mobile telephone services, it intends to lead the multimedia era by providing a variety of the services to match users' needs, including video and data communications. ASTEL aims to realize ideal communications services where users are able to communicate at "anytime, anywhere, with anyone."

Network Configuration

There are broadly two types of PHS network configuration: the NTT network-dependent type and the independent network type/NTT network-connection type. The former type will use NTT's existing ISDN and the latter will use independent network of NCCs. ASTEL Tokyo Inc. has initially started its services on October 1 with the NTT network-dependent type, but will in the future switch to joint network of both types, allowing it to provide users with more independent and flexible rates and services.
Among those group companies, there are, however, some operators that will commence their services with independent-type network. Roaming services and interconnectivity among those carriers with different network configurations will be realized in the near future.

Wide Service Areas

All of ASTEL's cell stations will make the best use of the existing infrastructure, i.e., utility poles, railway stations and so forth, owned by shareholders companies, and, to provide users the maximum convenience, it will cover service areas as broad as possible giving priorities to locations such as railway station buildings and business quarters where the communications needs for PHS are high. Based on those policies, it plans to set up approximately 60 thousand cell stations by the end of FY1995.

Presently, ordinary cell stations have transmission power of 20 mW covering a radius of 150-200 m*. However, for those lower traffic areas, 100 mW cell stations will be adopted to cover broader areas.

Sales Network

Considering that the usage of PHS is mainly for personal use, ASTEL group is establishing a wide range of sales networks utilizing convenience store networks, and cellular telephone outlets owned by shareholders such as general trading companies.
* In open site, 20mW-output PHS cell station can be connected to PHS terminal at the distance of 300m.

Major features

Outline of the specifications