Are you thinking of getting NTT FLET’S Hikari Internet?
You might be having some trouble because the details of the services are so complicated. Even looking at the website might not be much help.
Today, we are going to be explaining everything you need to know before entering a contract with NTT and getting NTT FLET’S Hikari.
In this article, we’ll cover these 5 points:
- What is NTT FLET’S Hikari Internet?
- Plans, pricing, and connection speeds for FLET’S Hikari
- How to apply for FLET’S Hikari
- Compare the Top 3 FLET’S Hikari Providers
- Which provider should I choose?
Once you’ve read this article, you should be more familiar with the plans, terms of the contract, and which provider to choose when considering NTT FLET’S Hikari Internet.
Let’s get started!
Related Article
For those who want to read about the best internet services for international residents in Japan, check out the following article. We compared a variety of internet services including, but not limited to NTT FLET’S Hikari here:
1. What is NTT FLET’S Hikari Internet?
FLET’S Hikari is the product name of the fiber internet supplied by NTT, a Japanese telecommunications company. It is sometimes called NTT FLET’S Hikari or FLET’S Hikari Internet. FLET’S Hikari is the most widely-used service in the country; 60% of fiber internet contracts in Japan belong to NTT.
The name “FLET’S” uses the letter “F” from the words “Flat (flat fee)”, “Friendly” and “Flexible” combined with the word “Let’s.”
“Hikari” is the word that is used to refer to fiber-optic networks in Japanese, which is why you will notice that many names of fiber internet services include, “Hikari.”
What is NTT? The difference between NTT EAST and NTT WEST
NTT is the biggest telecommunications company in Japan. The government also holds a share of the company. The fiber internet provided by NTT (FLET’S Hikari) can be used all over Japan, with a coverage rate of over 90%.
NTT is split up into two companies, both of which provide fiber-optic internet: NTT EAST for the Eastern part of Japan, and NTT WEST for the Western part.
- Prefectures included in NTT EAST: Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Niigata, Nagano
- Prefectures included in NTT WEST: Ishikawa, Toyama, Fukui, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyougo, Nara, Wakayama, Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Kouchi, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Ooita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Okinawa
As an example, if you live in Fukuoka Prefecture, you will be looking at entering a contract with NTT WEST. If you live in Tokyo, you will be considering NTT EAST.
The management is the only thing that is different between these two companies, meaning that you will not experience a difference in the quality of internet. However, the plans offered by NTT EAST and NTT WEST are slightly different.
What is fiber internet?
Fiber internet is a type of internet connection set up through a fiber-optic cable that runs directly into your home or apartment. In other words, fiber internet is home internet, or home WiFi.
Unlike older forms of internet like ADSL and cable internet networks, fiber internet transfers data as light signals using cables made of glass or plastic fibers, and can handle the transfer of much more data. This allows upload and download speeds to be much faster.
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2. Plans, pricing, and connection speeds for FLET’S Hikari
About FLET’S Hikari plans
The plans for FLET’S Hikari are extremely complicated. On top of being different between East and West Japan, NTT EAST and WEST each have 10 plans available to choose from. However, taking into consideration the connection speeds, monthly fees, and coverage, most people will end up choosing one of the following:
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| Company | Plan Name |
| NTT EAST | ① FLET'S Hikari Next Giga Family Smart Type ② FLET'S Hikari Next Giga Mansion Smart Type |
| NTT WEST | ③ FLET'S Hikari Next Family Super High-Speed Type Hayabusa ④ FLET'S Hikari Next Mansion Super High-Speed Type Hayabusa |
You might be thinking, “I can’t decide on just one plan if there are four!” but the selection process is actually quite simple.
As explained earlier, the company that you will be entering an internet contract with depends on your location in Japan.
- If you live in Eastern Japan → NTT EAST
- If you live in Western Japan → NTT WEST
- Prefectures included in NTT EAST: Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Niigata, Nagano
- Prefectures included in NTT WEST: Ishikawa, Toyama, Fukui, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyougo, Nara, Wakayama, Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Kouchi, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Ooita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Okinawa
Next, the type of building that you are living in will determine which plan you choose.
- If you live in a house → Family type (① or ③)
- If you live in an apartment → Mansion type (② or ④)
*The names of the plans are long and might be difficult to understand at first glance, but the ones with “family” in the name refer to the Family type, while “mansion” refers to the Mansion type.
FYI
You are not able to choose these parts of the plan. For example, you would not be able to enter a contract with NTT EAST while living in the Western part of Japan. As such, the type of internet you get will be decided by what kind of home you live in.
Pricing for FLET’S Hikari plans
Next, here is a comparison of the fees and connection speeds for each plan.
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| Provider | Plan Name | Monthly Fee | Initial Fee | Contract Length | Maximum Internet Connection Speed |
| NTT EAST | ① FLET'S Hikari Next Giga Family Smart Type | 6,358 JPY~ | 20,680 JPY | 2 Year | 1 Gbps |
| NTT EAST | ② FLET'S Hikari Next Giga Mansion Smart Type | 4,345 JPY~ | 20,680 JPY | 2 Year | 1 Gbps |
| NTT WEST | ③ FLET'S Hikari Next Family Super High-Speed Type Hayabusa | 5,973 JPY~ | 20,680 JPY | 2 Year | 1 Gbps |
| NTT WEST | ④ FLET'S Hikari Next Mansion Super High-Speed Type Hayabusa | 4,290 JPY~ | 20,680 JPY | 2 Year | 1 Gbps |
- *All prices listed include tax
- *The prices listed include provider fees (Family type: 858 JPY/Month; Mansion type: 770 JPY/Month)
- *The monthly fees for the mansion type will fluctuate depending on the possible amount of fiber internet contracts available for your apartment.
- *NTT EAST: The prices listed include the “Ninen wari” (Family type: -770 JPY/Month; Mansion type: -110 JPY/Month)
- *NTT WEST: The prices listed include the “Hikari Hajime wari” (Family type: -1,210 JPY/Month; Mansion type: -385 JPY/Month)
Initial fees
Your initial costs will include two types of fees.
| Type of Fee | Price |
| Administrative Fee | 880 JPY |
| Installation Fee | ~19,800 JPY |
- *All prices listed include tax.
The installation fee will depend on the details of the installation itself and can cost up to 19,800 yen.
Connection speed, coverage, and allocated data
The connection speed, coverage, and allocated data for NTT FLET’S Hikari are as listed below:
- Maximum connection speed: 1 Gbps
- Coverage: Over 90% of populated area
- Allocated data: Unlimited
In terms of connection speed, 1 Gbps is only the maximum speed in theory; when you use the internet, actual speeds will be around 100 to 700 Mbps.
You might be thinking, “What, isn’t 100Mbps slow?” But with 100 Mbps of internet, you will be able to play online games, attend zoom meetings, and watch Netflix without any problems.
Additionally, FLET’S Hikari is one of the fastest networks in Japan, so you should assume that other providers will have the same, or in some cases even slower connection speeds.
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3. How to apply for FLET’S Hikari
About internet service providers
A point that is quite confusing for international residents is that you will not only be entering a contract with NTT EAST/WEST, but also with an Internet Service Provider (from here on referred to as “provider”).
To put it simply, a provider is a company that supplies internet to customers by borrowing fiber-optic networks such as FLET’s Hikari.
You will be able to use the internet once you enter a contract with both NTT EAST/WEST and a provider.
The monthly provider fees change slightly depending on the company. The table presented earlier in this article includes the standard provider fees (Family type: 858 JPY; Mansion type: 770 JPY)
Another point that is very confusing to some is that many companies will provide their own plans and add-ons (i.e. English support, cellphone + internet bundle, etc.) to customers while using NTT’s network. This is called the Hikari Collaboration Model.
To those who are thinking, “I don’t know what that means…” all you need to understand is:
- In order to use FLET’s Hikari, you need to enter a contract with not only NTT EAST/WEST, but also a provider.
- Out of the many providers available, there are some that establish their own original plans and options (different from those in the earlier table). This is called the “Hikari Collaberation Model.”
Providers that use the Hikari Collaboration Model are popular for their special discounts and plans.
How should I apply?
There are two ways to apply for NTT FLET’S Hikari.
- From FLET’S Hikari’s official website
- From the official website of your provider of choice
It is recommended that you go through the provider’s website because you will be able to apply for both NTT EAST/WEST and the provider at the same time. The bill will also include everything from both companies, so it is much easier to understand.
Next, we will be introducing some of the best providers.
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4. Comparing the top 3 FLET’S Hikari providers
Out of the many providers that supply NTT FLET’S Hikari to their customers, there are 3 companies we believe make good choices for international residents in Japan.
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| Provider | Monthly Fee* | Initial Fee* | Contract Length | Maximum Internet Connection Speed | English Support? |
| Sakura Fiber Internet | 7,128 JPY | 7,700 ~ 29,700 JPY | 3 Months | 1 Gbps | Full English Support |
| Asahi Net | 6,358 JPY | 20,680 JPY | 2 Year | 1 Gbps | Some English Support |
| SoftBank Hikari | 7,322 JPY | 5,000 ~ 29,700 JPY | 2 Year | 1 Gbps | Japanese Only |
Sakura Fiber Internet and SoftBank Hikari both use the Hikari Collaboration Model, meaning that they provide their own independent plans.
Asahi Net is the regular provider for NTT FLET’S Hikari, so the prices are the same as the ones introduced in the earlier table (NTT EAST, FLET’S Hikari Next Giga Family Smart Type).
- *All prices listed include tax.
- *The monthly fee includes the base fee and WiFi router rental.
- *The monthly fee is a comparison of the house-type fiber internet option of each provider.
- *The initial fee includes the administrative fee and installation fee.
- *This chart does not include smartphone bundle discounts or other discounts that require specific conditions to be met.
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5. Which provider should I choose?
If you are looking to use NTT FLET’S Hikari, we recommend that you choose Sakura Fiber Internet. This is because Sakura Fiber Internet is an internet service that was made specifically for internationals in Japan.
Features of Sakura Fiber Internet
- Fast Internet Connection
- No 2-Year Binding Contract
- Reliable English Support
- Simple, Stress-Free Installation
- Various Payment Method
While the monthly fee is slightly more expensive than other companies, the minimum usage period for Sakura Fiber Internet is only three months.
With other companies, you will be required to renew your contract once every two years. If you attempt to cancel your contract at any other time, you may be fined 20,000 JPY or more. Sakura Mobile, on the other hand, lets you cancel your contract any time after three months without penalty.
Additionally, Sakura Mobile is the only provider in Japan with full English support. As for companies with “some English support”, you will be able to access an English version of their website, but Japanese is necessary when talking to customer service representatives over the phone or when accessing your user login page.
You can check out the details here!
For those who want to read about the best internet services for international residents in Japan, check out the following article. We compared a variety of internet services including, but not limited to NTT FLET’S Hikari here:
Related articles
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