This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(January 2025) |
au,orau by KDDI,is a Japanesemobile phone operator.au is a brand marketed byKDDIin the main islands of Japan and byOkinawa CellularinOkinawafor their mobile cellular services. au is thesecond-largest wireless carrier in Japan,with 60.398 million subscribers as of March 2021.[1]
 | |
 | |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1 November 2000 |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | Chaku-Uta-Full,LISMO |
| Parent | KDDI |
| Website | au |
Naming
editAccording to the brand creator, the name 'au' is based on the Japanese verbs for 'meet' ( hội う) and 'unite' ( hợp う) (both pronounced 'au').[2]However, KDDI explains that au comes from two letters which stand for few words. 'A' is for access, always and amenity, and 'U' is for unique, universal and user. There is also a phrase, 'access to u(you)' that goes along the brand name.[3]
History
editThe network that would eventually become au was originally set up as two networks: DDI and IDO. IDO's network was based upon the NTT Hi-cap analog cellular system, and began operations in December 1988 in the Kanto and Tokai regions. DDI's network was run by independent phone companies, and began service in 1989 using theTACSsystem elsewhere in Japan. Nippon Idou Tsushin (IDO) was owned byToyota,whereas DDI was owned byKyocera Corporation.
au K.K.(Chu thức hội xã エーユー)was established in November 2000 by Kyocera as part of the DDI Cellular network. In 2001, the company was merged into KDDI (which had been formed in 2000 by the merger of DDI, KDD, and IDO), but its brand name was retained and applied to all mobile phone service under KDDI group.
au established a nationwide3Gnetwork in 2003, replacing its previouscdmaOneservice with CDMA 1X WIN (1xEV-DO Rev A) service.[citation needed]It started selling theiPhone 4Sfrom 14 October 2011.[citation needed]The company launchedLTEservice as 'au 4G LTE' in September 2012. It launched 5G service as 'UNLIMITED WORLD au 5G' on 26 March 2020.[4]
Marketing
editau sponsors theCerumoteam inJapan Grand Touring Championshipbetween 2001 to 2004.
References
edit- ^"Number of subscribers by Carriers｜TCA".Tca.or.jp.
- ^"Xã danh ・コーポレートブランド danh".ZYXYZ. 10 August 2010.Retrieved28 December2013.
- ^"Toàn quốc シームレスな di động thể thông tín sự nghiệp の thống nhất ブランド “au(エーユー)” について "(in Japanese). KDDI. Archived fromthe originalon 29 January 2008.Retrieved12 February2008.
- ^""UNLIMITED WORLD au 5G" thủy động. Đệ 5 thế đại di động thông tín サービス “au 5G”, 3 nguyệt 26 nhật から khai thủy "(in Japanese). news.kddi.com.Retrieved30 March2020.