Telecom Square announces the launch of "WiFiBOX," an "unprecedented Wi-Fi rental" service that allows customers to easily rent a mobile Wi-Fi router for 840 yen per day (price including tax, unlimited/Japan plan) with a contactless connection at the Kyoto Station Building's 2nd floor "Kyoto General Tourist Information Center The service will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at the Kyoto Tourist Information Center "Kyo-Navi" located on the second floor of the Kyoto Station Building.
"WiFiBOX" is a new Wi-Fi rental service released on April 1, 2022, and is a sharing type service that allows users to immediately reserve, receive, and start using Wi-Fi without prior reservations (patent pending).
The Japan domestic plan allows unlimited use for 840 yen per day (tax included), and the terminal includes a cable for charging and a mobile battery function that can also be used to charge smartphones. The service design was highly evaluated for its multiple benefits, including meeting the non-personal needs of Corona Disaster, eliminating cumbersome procedures and queues for users, reducing operating costs, and securing extra space at the installation site.
The service is currently available at major airports nationwide, including Narita, Haneda, and Kansai International Airports, as well as at city and commercial facilities in the Kanto region, such as Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Tourist Information Center, and Shinjuku Milod, and is widely used in Japan and abroad.
In order to meet the needs of foreign visitors to Japan as well as domestic business, sightseeing, and Giga-shortage users, we will begin providing service at "Kyoto General Tourist Information Center Kyo-Navi" on the 2nd floor of Kyoto Station Building as the first citywide installation in the Kansai region. This brings the total number of WiFiBOX locations to 13 facilities and 18 locations. In addition to further expansion in the Kansai area, we will continue to install WiFiBOXes in Japan in order to further improve customer convenience.
Background of Installation
Kyoto is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan and attracts many tourists from home and abroad regardless of the season. The Kyoto Tourist Information Center "Kyo-Navi" is located on the second floor of the Kyoto Station Building, which is the entrance to the city, and is therefore visited by many foreign tourists to Japan. There are also more than 20 limousine buses a day from the Hachijo Exit of Kyoto Station to Kansai International Airport.
In addition to use by foreign visitors to Japan during sightseeing, WiFiBOX can meet a wide range of demands from temporary to daily use, such as use by Japanese tourists, business visitors, and those running out of giga at the end of the month. In addition, we decided to install this system because we believe it will further improve convenience by enabling use across locations, such as returning the rental device at the airport after rental.
Outline of Installation
Location
Kyoto General Tourist Information Center Kyo-Navi
Kyoto Station Bldg. 2F, Shiokoji-sagaru, Karasuma-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto (in front of the Kyoto Station West Exit ticket gates, along the north-south free passageway)
Charge
Within Japan 840 yen per day (price including tax, unlimited use)
*500MB/440 yen (tax included) and 1GB/660 yen (tax included) plans per day are also available.
Business hours
8:30 - 19:00 (open year-round)
Web site
https://ja.kyoto.travel/information/
Notes on pickup
Kyo-Navi does not accept advance reservations for rentals. Please check the inventory at the rental location before making a reservation and picking up your rental item. You may return your rental items to Kyo-Navi or to other locations. It is also possible to return a terminal that was picked up at another location to KyoNavi.
Features of WiFiBOX and how to use it
Need it now? You can rent a WiFi device immediately without making a reservation (*1). Reservation, receiving, and returning all steps are amazingly easy. The service design was highly evaluated and received the Good Design Award in 2022.
*1: No advance reservations are accepted for rentals at the Kyoto Tourist Information Center, KyoNavi. Please check the inventory at the site before applying for and picking up your rental device.
Wi-Fi and mobile battery in one device
In addition to a USB cable for charging the main unit, three types of cables are built in for charging smartphones. It can also be used as a mobile battery.
Official HP
https://wifibox.telecomsquare.co.jp/
Example of "WiFiBOX" in Japan
Wi-Fi rentals have a strong image of being rented for overseas travel, but there are many situations where they can be used temporarily in Japan as well, such as for business, sightseeing, in places without a Wi-Fi environment, or when you run out of giga at the end of the month.
(1) On a moving train
Even when traveling on business or on vacation, you can use WiFiBOX's stable communication environment to work on your PC and watch videos stress-free.
2) On business
When you need to work in a café for a while in between trips, you can use WiFi in a safe and secure environment when you feel insecure about security with free Wi-Fi.
③While sightseeing
Nowadays, smartphones are indispensable when traveling.
You can collect information, send and receive photos and videos without worrying about communication volume. The battery function also recharges your smartphone.
4) When you run out of giga at the end of the month
With the recent spread of low-cost smartphones, are you suffering from a shortage of gigs at the end of the month because you have reduced the number of gigs in your monthly contract? You only want to rent when you run out! You can use our service at such a time.
(5) In case of trouble such as communication failure
Large-scale communication failures are often a hot topic. The need to acquire a "sub-line" has been increasing, and Wi-Fi rental is recommended for emergency or temporary needs.
It can also be used in various other situations, such as when you are unable to use the Internet due to a move to a new location, or to secure a communication environment during hospitalization.
Reference
Approximate communication volume when using major chat tools and video sites for one hour (based on our research)
| Tool | Communication volume per hour |
|---|---|
| Zoom | Approx. 500MB |
| Microsoft teams | Approx. 1.3GB |
| Skype | Approx. 290MB |
| Google meets | about 820MB |
| Youtube(HD) | about 1GB |
| Netflix(HD) | Approx. 3GB |
| Amazon prime(HD) | About 1.8GB |
| LINE (video call) | Approx. 310MB |
| LINE (voice call) | Approx. 20MB |
In addition, with 1GB, you can send approximately 330,000 LINE "Talk" messages, 140,000 "Send Stamp" messages, 8,800 standard-definition images, and 166 30-second videos.
