As part of its efforts to provide more diverse communications services, Japan Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is drawing up plans to substitute IP (Internet Protocol) systems for fixed-line networks by early 2010s. A committee has been organized by the ministry and will start discussing the issue this week. Comprehensive reports are expected to finalize in the summer of 2005.

 

The governmental drive for IP systems came on the strength of carriers' decisions to phase out traditional telecom services. KDDI is planning to replace its fixed-line services with an IP system by the end of 2007. Nippon Telegraph & Telephone also has similar efforts in the works and hopes to conclude parts of its fixed-line services by 2010.