A10 One of the main reasons is that broadband Internet access allows users to be continuously connected to the Internet at low cost, and to talk to other subscribers of the service free of charge.

Even when calling a fixed-line telephone, a uniform rate was applied of around eight yen for three minutes, regardless of distance. When the Yahoo! BB service was first launched, Japanese telephone rates were high, so those who converted to Yahoo! BB's IP telephone service, BBphone, dramatically reduced their monthly telephone charges. At the same time, there was a rapid spread in the use of IP telephones among companies that wanted to reduce their communication costs.