The new rate plan “UN-LIMIT VI” introduced by Rakuten Mobile in April seems to be the company’s motto of “overturning common sense”, and it is finished in a way that is a bit different from that of conventional mobile phones. Was there. This time, in a good way. It was within the expected range up to the point where the price of 20GB or less was reduced according to ahamo, povo, SoftBank on LINE by making a step system, but it was quite drastic to reduce 1GB or less to 0 yen almost unconditionally. It’s an impression. I think there were many people who were surprised by Mickey, the company’s CEO Hiroshi Mikitani’s generosity.
From a business point of view, there are concerns about whether the balance will be met and what the competitive environment will be like, but from the perspective of a user, there is no reason not to sign a contract. Mr. Mikitani said that it was the “optimal plan for all the people,” but I don’t think it’s an exaggeration. At least, if you are a shopper at Rakuten Ichiba, there is no loss in contracting for the time being. There is no administrative fee for new contracts, and if it is 1GB or less, the monthly fee is 0 yen.
In fact, many people thought so, and contracts flooded after the announcement of the new price. A failure occurred on the application site, and it became difficult to connect on Saturdays and Sundays. There seems to be a delay in SIM card delivery. The number of Rakuten Mobile subscribers was 2.2 million at the time of the announcement of UN-LIMIT VI. The remaining 800,000 users will have unlimited data capacity for free until February 2010 if they apply now, which seems to have affected that as well. Since you can sign up for a trial, it is perfect for putting one in a dual SIM terminal.
More important than that, Rakuten users will get + 1% SPU points. SPU is a super point up program, and the point award rate increases when certain conditions are met. In fact, if you sign up for Rakuten Mobile, this will be + 1%, which will increase the point return rate at Rakuten Ichiba. There is no charge for 1GB or less, so if you sign up for the time being, you can shop more profitably.
When this happens, it looks more like a tool for poi activities than a communication line. Since the conditions of SPU are only contracts, there is no need to even pierce the terminal with a SIM card to communicate, in an extreme case. Even if you don’t know whether to use it or not, it’s OK if you make a contract for the time being.
If you feel like it, you can put it in the second slot of the dual SIM terminal as a sub line, or write the eSIM profile. If it is a carrier terminal, it is almost a single SIM, but if it is an iPhone or Pixel, you can use eSIM as long as you unlock the SIM lock. While contracting with 3 major carriers, you can write the eSIM profile as a sub line and switch the line to that only when Rakuten Mobile has better radio wave conditions.
Rakuten Mobile is a new entrant carrier, and the area is still smaller than the three major carriers, but from a micro perspective, there are cases where radio waves come in from the three major carriers depending on the location. For example, I am writing the eSIM profile of Rakuten Mobile while inserting the au SIM card into the iPhone 12 Pro, but at home, Rakuten Mobile has better radio waves and speed. If you switch to Rakuten Mobile and use it so that it does not exceed 1GB only when you come to such a place, there is no additional charge.
In addition, although it is limited to via Rakuten Link, the call charge is also free, so you can cancel the flat-rate call option with 3 major carriers and use Rakuten Link only when you absolutely need to make a call from a landline phone. Also. It’s free up to 1GB, and the call charge is free, so I think it’s a waste to put it to sleep just because you signed up for SPU. If you sign a contract anyway, it’s a good idea to use it for free.
Because of this kind of usage, there will be a flood of free users who will reduce the amount of data used to 1GB or less, and I’m worried that it will not be profitable forever … Rakuten Mobile also seems to be within the expected range of free users. Naho Kono, CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) of Rakuten, responded to the question, “I think there are people who contract for SPU.” If you shop at Rakuten Ichiba, it will contribute to your profits.
Mr. Mikitani also said that Rakuten Mobile subscribers “have found that they can use various Rakuten Group services conveniently and enjoyably.” This means that Rakuten members will sign up for Rakuten Mobile for SPU and will be able to shop more at the increased return rate. Looking at it in this way, it seems that the reason why we were able to make 1GB or less free of charge is because we have a strong ecosystem called the Rakuten economic zone.
On the other hand, Rakuten plans to change the SPU of Rakuten Gold Card from April 1st and reduce the return rate from + 2% to + 1%. It is exactly the same timing as Rakuten Mobile’s UN-LIMIT VI, but it can be seen that the points given to the entire group are being adjusted. In a sense, it can be said that it is a mobile shift, but I think that Rakuten Mobile may adjust the point award rate if the number of users of 1GB or less increases too much. Since the mobile business is preceded by huge capital investment, it may be that the sleeves that are not available cannot be shaken.
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