Tone Mobile launches "TONE," a smartphone that will change smartphones in Japan, on May 5th

2015.04.30 Press Releases
Tone Mobile Co., Ltd. / Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. / CCC Mobile Co., Ltd.

-Starting with SHIBUYA TSUTAYA, the service will be rolled out to 16 other TSUTAYA stores nationwide by the end of July, proposing a new lifestyle through smartphones to T-CARD users-

Tone Mobile Co., Ltd. (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Atsuki Ishida; hereinafter "Tone Mobile"), Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Muneaki Masuda; hereinafter "CCC"), and CCC Mobile Corporation (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yoshikazu Hattori; hereinafter "CCC Mobile") are pleased to announce that "TONE," the smartphone from T that will revolutionize smartphones in Japan, has been made possible through a strategic capital and business alliance between the CCC Group and FreeBit Co., Ltd. (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Nobuaki Tanaka). The smartphone will be available at a total of 16 stores nationwide, including 12 TSUTAYA stores and 4 directly managed TONE stores, starting at SHIBUYA TSUTAYA on May 5th.

　The first innovation that has been realized by making the most of the strengths of both companies - CCC's cultural infrastructure and FreeBit's technical and development capabilities that create a vertically integrated business model from productization to sales - is T's smartphone "TONE," which will change smartphones in Japan. We aim to be a cultural infrastructure that offers exciting new lifestyles to the 53.04 million T-CARD users across Japan (number of users after name matching), and we will provide a new, unprecedented smartphone.

　Due to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' guidelines regarding SIM unlocking, users will have greater freedom and convenience in choosing smartphone devices and services from May onwards, which is expected to lead to further intensification of competition and expansion of the market. TONE will change the conventional concept of smartphones and lead the smartphone market with a new smartphone that offers "lifestyle suggestions" that fit in with and enrich users' lives.

TONE mobile declaration statement

Smartphones up until now have been inconvenient.
This is due to the distance between the manufacturer and the carrier.
TONE changes that. Change it from there.
We make everything ourselves.
So it can be simple.
So you can be free from the price.
So you can pursue peace of mind.
So you can expand the fun.
This was not possible with previous smartphones.
There's a lot you can get.
A new era begins.
Smartphones that are simply cheap will not create a trend.
TONE will change your smartphone.
TONE will change everything about smartphones.

Changing Japanese smartphones
T's smartphone,
TONE is born!

T's smartphone offers exciting new lifestyle suggestions
T's smartphone "TONE" is a smartphone that will change smartphones in Japan, proposing and realizing exciting new lifestyle ideas. By utilizing the various cultural infrastructures that the CCC Group possesses, we will continue to evolve every day, creating an unprecedentedly comfortable and enriched smartphone life.

Differences in mechanisms
Until now, telecommunications carriers have had separate companies plan and implement the lines, terminals, and services. TONE has completely vertically integrated the system, and plans all of its lines, devices, services, and even lifestyle proposals in-house. This has enabled us to offer low prices with simple pricing plans, innovative and reliable features, and the excitement that only T can offer, all in one place.

T's smartphones that will change the way smartphones are used in Japan
TONE will dramatically change the conventional wisdom about smartphones in Japan.

1. Change your excitement
T-POINTs is Japan's largest shared points service, used daily by 53.04 million people and usable at over 300,000 stores nationwide. With TONE, you can earn 1 T-POINT for every 200 yen spent on the device price and monthly basic plan fee. Starting in October, you will also be able to pay with T-POINTs.
Additionally, at TSUTAYA stores that sell TONE, TONE users can rent one CD and one DVD for free each month. Furthermore, when renting CDs/DVDs, you will receive 10 times the T-POINT (First Campaign). In addition to the above, we plan to sell a set of TONE and a drive that will enable users to transfer music and other data to their smartphones even if they do not have a computer, thereby supporting TONE users' enriched lifestyles with music, movies, and more.

2. Keep it simple
Smartphones often come with over 100 pre-installed bundled apps. Smartphones are difficult for beginners because they don't know what to use. I can even hear such voices. TONE will integrate all major functions into one app, "ONE."With ONE, you can easily manage photos, videos, music, files, documents, notes, and more on just one screen. In addition, our proprietary platform allows for instantaneous linking of content between PCs and devices without the need for connecting cables. (Freebit has been patented in countries around the world)
Furthermore, it also integrates market functions, collaborates with the "Online Music Service powered by TSUTAYA MUSICO," and implements "TONE Easy Payment," a carrier payment method that can be paid together with your smartphone bill. Starting in June, ONE will also be releasing a "Photo Print Service powered by Shimauma Print" that will allow you to order photos printed directly from within ONE for just 5 yen per photo.
In the future, we will continue to add features and services that will satisfy T-CARD customers, including services that allow them to experience new encounters with entertainment, and strive to enable them to enjoy a simple yet colorful smartphone life.

3. Change your peace of mind
TONE offers a free family monitoring service called "TONE Family."TONE Family is equipped with features that eliminate concerns about letting children and the elderly have smartphones, such as checking their location, restricting app usage, and limiting the amount of time they can use the device or apps. This device is perfect for elderly people living alone to connect with their families, with a unique user interface created through thorough research into the operating points that beginners often find difficult, an air knock function that allows for a more relaxed connection than phone or email and can also be used as a means of emergency contact, and a health management function using a pedometer. These can be easily viewed and settings changed anytime, anywhere, not only from parents' TONE devices, but also from internet-enabled devices such as smartphones, PCs, and tablets from other companies. The phone also comes equipped with a unique, easy-to-use and convenient feature called "104 Search," which reinvents lifestyle suggestions over the phone. By dialing 104 on the IP phone app, you can easily search for nearby TSUTAYA stores, restaurants, accommodations, and beauty salons. This means that even people who are not familiar with using smartphones will be able to find the places they want to go to in real time. TONE will make lifestyle suggestions using the familiar tool of the telephone.
In addition to safety and convenience, we also focused on providing support. TONE offers free remote support in addition to telephone, in-store and online support. Even if you are using a smartphone for the first time, you can rest assured that you can speak to an operator over the phone, and they will remotely operate the device and explain the process to you. To provide even greater peace of mind, we will also make similar remote support available between family members. (Scheduled to be available from June 2015 onwards)

4. Change your prices
Until now, mobile phone plans have been complicated. You won't know how much data or voice calls you'll actually use before signing up. In response to such user feedback, TONE has unified its pricing plans into one plan starting from 1,000 yen per month. The basic plan includes the basic fee for IP phone calls as well as stable standard speed (500-600Kbps) data communication via Docomo lines, and you can purchase high-speed communication tickets (300 yen per 1GB) only when you need them. In addition, by optimizing communications using cloud technology, we have achieved a user experience that exceeds the specifications. Even with the basic plan, you can use the internet comfortably and without stress for general purposes, excluding video. Our original technology automatically switches speeds only when a ticket is required for communication, making it hassle-free and efficient.

Sales development of TONE

Starting with the flagship store SHIBUYA TSUTAYA, we will work with CCC Mobile to expand to the following 12 TSUTAYA stores.
5/5 SHIBUYA TSUTAYA (21-6 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
5/15 TSUTAYA Sakurashinmachi store (2-38-16 Shinmachi, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo)

May schedule
TSUTAYA Nakameguro Store (1F and 2F Nakameguro GS 1st Building, 2-9-1 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo)
MORIOKA TSUTAYA (4-40-20 Motomiya, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture)

June schedule
TSUTAYA Tenjin Ekimae Fukuoka Building Store (2nd and 3rd floors of Fukuoka Building, 1-11-17 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture)
TSUTAYA Abenobashi store (2-1-34 Abenosuji, Abeno-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture)
TSUTAYA Hirakata Station Main Store (Hirakata Chuo Building 1st and 2nd floors [merchandise store], 18-20 Okahigashicho, Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture)
TSUTAYA Ikeshita store (8-70-1 Kakuozan-dori, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Sunclair Ikeshita 1st floor)

After July
TSUTAYA Utazu store (3-21-2 Hama, Utazu-cho, Ayauta-gun, Kagawa Prefecture)
TSUTAYA Sapporo Kotoni Store (1-1-1 Kotoni 4-jo, Nishi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido)　
TSUTAYA Yokohama Minatomirai Store (Mid Square 1F, 4-7-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture)
TSUTAYA Kitasenju store (2-25 Senju, Adachi-ku, Tokyo)

We will start accepting purchases from May 5th. Reception hours are from 10:00 to 19:00.
Application phone number: 050‐7300‐6371


The three ATELIER stores currently operating in Fukuoka Tenjin, Nagoya Osu, and Kokura will be reopened as TONE stores on May 5th, and will begin selling TONE products in-store. The Shibuya Spain Hill store will be reopened as a TONE store on May 12th.

By proposing new lifestyles through TONE devices and services, Tone Mobile will not only expand the smartphone market, but also promote the revitalization and expansion of various connected markets.

Materials related to this matter

Tone Mobile launches "TONE," a smartphone that will change smartphones in Japan, on May 5th

Inquiries regarding this matter
Tone Mobile Co., Ltd. Public Relations Officer
Email: press@tone.ad.jp　Telephone: 050-7302-3227

Public Relations Officer, Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. and CCC Mobile Co., Ltd.
Mail:information@ccc.co.jp