Foundation: 2000
Headquarters: Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo
CEO: Takashi Tanaka
Executive Summary: KDDI is a Japanese telecommunications company established in October 2000 through the merger of DDI Corporation, KDD Corporation, and IDO Corporation. It is best known for its mobile cellular services under the au by KDDI brand. One year following its formation, KDDI launched the Myline carrier service and merged with au Corporation. In 2002, KDDI introduced the first GPS mobile phone with an “electric compass,” where the phone’s screen displayed maps that moved according to the user’s direction, akin to a car navigation system. That same year, KDDI rolled out its third-generation (3G) mobile phone service, enhancing transmission speeds.
KDDI’s innovations continued with the launch of the “Chaku-Uta (R)” music service, enabling users to download music from CDs directly onto their phones for use as ringtones. The introduction of KDDI Hikari Plus allowed for integrated phone, television, and internet services via a single optic fiber. CDMA 1X WIN introduced a fixed packet rate for mobile phones, while KDDI Metal Plus offered a cost-effective IP phone service with internet connectivity.
In 2006, au Listen Mobile Service, or Lismo, was launched as the first comprehensive music service that bridged au mobile phones with computers. Alongside this, a video service was introduced for high-quality streaming of movies and TV shows. The subsequent upgrade to EV-DO Rev. A provided Japan’s fastest transmission speeds at the time. In 2008, au Collective Talk enabled free domestic calls between au mobiles and KDDI fixed phones.
The iida mobile phone brand was announced in 2009, and KDDI partnered with Sony, Toppan Printing, and Asahi Shinbun to launch a venture for delivering electronic books. In 2011, KDDI started selling iPhones, beginning with the 4S model. Three years later, they entered into a joint business with Myanma Posts and Telecommunications.
KDDI expanded its portfolio by launching the au Denki electricity service and the au Insurance & Loans financial service. More recently, they introduced au Pay for smartphone payments and opened KDDI Digital Gate for electronic business development. KDDI’s annual revenue is in the range of US$45 billion.