SoftBank Overview
SoftBank is a major telecom and technology investor in Japan. SoftBank Corp., the operating company, is Japan's third-largest mobile operator. Masayoshi Son founded the group. In IoT it is both a network operator and an investor, through Arm Holdings and the Vision Fund.
SoftBank was the first in Japan to launch commercial 5G, and it keeps putting AI next to IoT. Arm Holdings supplies chip IP whose architecture is licensed to more than 90% of mobile processors, which is SoftBank's place in the IoT hardware stack.
SoftBank facts
- Founded: 1981
- Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
- Wireless users: About 50 million in Japan
- Network: 4G LTE, 5G NR (2.5 GHz and other bands)
- Holdings: Arm Holdings, LINE, and others
- Annual revenue: About JPY 6 trillion
Core Technical Capabilities
ARM IoT chip ecosystem
Through Arm Holdings, it licenses IoT chip IP and sits at the chip layer of the stack
AI + IoT integration
AI inside IoT applications, with inference at the edge and analysis in the cloud
Satellite IoT
A stake in OneWeb's low-Earth-orbit constellation, aimed at satellite IoT
Smart office
IoT sensors and AI analysis for buildings and offices
IoT products
IoT services
SoftBank IoT
- IoT-dedicated SIM cards
- Low-power LPWA network
- A device-management platform
- eSIM support
Enterprise uses
- Factory automation
- Connected vehicles
- AI camera analysis
- Drone inspection
Network standards and coverage
| Technology | Band | Coverage | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4G LTE | 700/900/2100MHz | Nationwide in Japan | Primary network |
| NB-IoT | 900MHz | Deployed nationwide in Japan | Low-power sensors |
| eMTC/LTE-M | 2100MHz | Main coverage areas | Mobile IoT devices |
| 5G NR | 2.5/28/29GHz | Continuous expansion of major cities | High-speed enterprise IoT |
| LoRa | 920MHz | Some commercial areas | Low-rate large connections |
Industry Solutions
Factory automation
- 5G factory private network
- Robot control
- Visual quality inspection
- Predictive maintenance of equipment
Drones
- Infrastructure inspection
- Crop spraying
- Logistics and delivery
- Security monitoring
Smart Agriculture
- Crop growth monitoring
- Meteorological environment sensing
- Precision fertilization and irrigation
- Agricultural machinery autopilot
Smart city
- AI camera monitoring
- Traffic flow analysis
- Environmental quality monitoring
- Public-safety management
Competitive Advantages
- Arm: IoT chip IP through Arm Holdings
- AI: AI features built into the IoT services
- Satellite IoT: An investment in OneWeb for space links
- Vision Fund: Capital in IoT companies outside Japan
- New technology: Early positions in technologies that are still emerging
Development History and Milestones
SoftBank Group was founded by Masayoshi Son in 1981, initially starting as a software distributor, and gradually evolved into a comprehensive technology investment company. In 2006, SoftBank acquired Vodafone Japan's operations, officially entering the mobile communication market, and rebranded it as SoftBank Mobile. In 2013, it acquired the US operator Sprint (later merged with T-Mobile), further expanding its international presence.
In the IoT field, SoftBank announced in 2017 that it would spend $32 billion to acquire the British chip design giant Arm Holdings, gaining control over the foundational architecture of IoT technology. In 2019, SoftBank Japan launched 5G commercial services and invested in the low-orbit satellite company OneWeb the same year, laying out a global satellite IoT connectivity strategy. In 2021, SoftBank deeply integrated its IoT business with AI capabilities, launching AIoT (AI + IoT) comprehensive solutions for factories, agriculture, and infrastructure.
IoT plans
IoT connection plans
Radio access: NB-IoT, LTE-M, and eMTC
Billing: Per device, or as a shared data pool
Fit: A low monthly fee, a long device life, and a design for low power
5G private networks
Sites: Factories, ports, and construction sites
Included: Dedicated spectrum rights and MEC nodes
Fit: Very low latency, and data that stays on the site
Global IoT Roaming
Coverage: Covers major countries worldwide through partner networks
Management: One back end for the SIMs
Fit: One contract for devices in more than one country
Support
Technical support
- IoT dedicated technical hotline
- Online developer community
- Device certification testing
- On-site deployment support
AI
- AI camera analysis
- Predictive-maintenance models
- Anomaly detection
- A digital twin
Ecosystem cooperation
- The Arm partner programme
- Certification for IoT module vendors
- Work with software developers
- A channel for system integrators