SoftBank has unveiled its plans to embark on an extensive global expansion of its IoT business in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region starting from October 2023.
In this ambitious sales expansion project spanning 19 countries and regions, including Japan, SoftBank will concentrate its efforts on promoting IoT services, with a particular focus on “1NCE IoT Flat Rate,” an affordable global IoT connectivity service provided by German company 1NCE GmbH, targeting enterprise clients. The objective is to secure a total of 2 million 1NCE IoT Flat Rate connections across the APAC region and beyond by the end of the 2025 fiscal year, which concludes on March 31, 2026.
Aligned with its “Beyond Carrier” growth strategy, SoftBank is diversifying beyond its core telecommunications business to establish ventures across various industries, actively fostering digital transformation (DX) in multiple sectors. In the realm of IoT, SoftBank made an equity investment in 1NCE GmbH in April 2022 and entered into an exclusive agreement to market the 1NCE IoT Flat Rate in 19 APAC markets. This service offers an exceptionally competitive pricing structure, granting customers access to 1NCE’s extensive global network spanning over 160 countries and regions at no additional cost. The service’s convenience has garnered praise from enterprise clients, including Japanese companies like Pocketalk Corporation.
While SoftBank had previously concentrated its efforts on promoting the 1NCE IoT Flat Rate solely in Japan, the company is now expanding its sales reach to encompass 19 APAC countries and regions to intensify the global expansion of its IoT business. Leveraging its existing presence in APAC, which includes 22 locations across 9 countries and regions, SoftBank intends to quadruple its IoT salesforce. Additionally, it will launch a dedicated online IoT store in collaboration with 1NCE and enhance advertising and other marketing initiatives in the region.
Making full use of its IoT platform, SoftBank will also propose solutions related to smart meters and work towards further extending its global IoT operations. Moreover, SoftBank aims to establish a comprehensive support framework to address challenges faced by various industries in their respective countries and regions. Beginning with its global IoT business, SoftBank will implement strategies to expand its global presence, primarily focusing on the APAC region, as part of its overarching “Beyond Japan” initiative.
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