TOKYO - The Tokyo metropolitan government and Softbank Corp agreed Thursday to enable passengers in moving subway trains to send text messages and access the Internet on their handsets by installing antennas by the end of this year.
Tokyo Metro Co, the other subway train operator in the metropolitan area, said the same day that work for a similar service in its subway system has entered the final stage.
The latest moves reflect growing calls among consumers, including commuters, for cell phone text messaging and online access to be available inside moving subway trains. In Tokyo, cell phone networks are currently accessible at subway stations but not while trains are running between stations. The agreement came during a meeting between Tokyo Vice Gov Naoki Inose and Softbank President Masayoshi Son at the municipal head office.
During the meeting, Son proposed that e-mail use be enabled in subway trains because doing so would raise people’s productivity. Inose responded that the metropolitan government would consider the proposal to provide greater convenience for subway users.
The Japan Mobile Communications Infrastructure Association, a consortium of 17 companies, including the three major mobile phone service providers - Softbank, NTT Docomo Inc and KDDI Corp - is expected to foot the bill for the installation of antennas in the subway system run by the metropolitan government. Tokyo Metro, which is 47% owned by the metropolitan government, said in a statement on Thursday that it also thinks it is ‘‘within days of agreement’’ with the group on installing antennas in its subway system for the service.
Noting that he will soon become a director of the consortium and intends to run for the post of deputy chairman of the group, Son said he plans to reach a consensus with other members on realizing the installation of antennas by the end of this year. Mobile phone signals are often cut off while subway trains are in motion. But in some subway systems, such as those in the cities of Sapporo and Fukuoka, passengers can use e-mail even while trains are running.
