Nintendo promotes fiber-optic internet in Japan

by Scott Jon Siegel { Nov 29th 2007 at 7:00AM }

Nintendo is anticipating that its WiiWare service is going to be huge. So huge, in fact, that they're doing their best to make sure Japanese gamers have the internet muscle to handle it. Reuters reports that Nintendo is partnering with broadband provider Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp, in order to promote and increase the use of high-speed, fiber-optic internet connections in the country.

The partnership involves NTT offering a reduced-rate internet package aimed at Wii owners, as well as Nintendo and NTT co-running call centers intended to assist users with the setup of both their fiber-optic connections, and their Nintendo Wiis. Both parties clearly benefit from this association, as NTT knows that the Wii can easily be an incentive for households to pick up fiber-optics, just as much as Nintendo knows that customer experience with the WiiWare service will improve with faster internet service.

Tags: fiber-optics, internet, japan, nintendo, wii

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

wossName @ Nov 29th 2007 7:35AM

This could mean two things: either WiiWare titles can potentially be huge (external HD, yo !) or Nintendo expects us to download them again and again (no external HD for you !). Which one is it, Nintendo ?

Brucie B @ Nov 29th 2007 7:37AM

Download...

nate @ Nov 29th 2007 7:40AM

fiber optic is pretty much the standard for broadband here in Japan. It is interesting to hear that nintendo is working with ntt to create an internet package for non computer users.

DWells55 @ Nov 29th 2007 12:57PM

A few more years in America stuck with Comcast and I think I might have no choice but to move to Japan and get fiber optic internet. Either that or I stick with Comcast and let it slowly drive me insane.

Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Nov 29th 2007 8:31PM

Hey, you could always get Verizon FiOS. That's Fiber to the home, and it's the only company in the US that is doing it.

Jamar @ Nov 30th 2007 9:44AM

true, but FiOS isn't 100/100, which is the most appealing thing about Japanese fiber service.

Kye, NDF - Fearless Leader @ Nov 29th 2007 7:45AM

Good news for all!

James @ Nov 29th 2007 7:53AM

Sign me up!

Ethan @ Nov 29th 2007 8:12AM

The thing that's been the problem here is that some people haven't known you need wi-fi, and there aren't any lan adapters around.

All in all, I think what Nintendo's doing is remarkable in bringing technology to all.

Jonah Falcon @ Nov 29th 2007 8:44AM

Gotta wonder how Nintendo will fuck up this deal, too. Nintendo + online = hate.

Noshino @ Nov 29th 2007 8:49AM

yah, Nintendo has quite a history with Online Services....

makes me wonder, why offer this yet not focus on the online service offered (or lack of it) on the Wii...

Phillip @ Nov 29th 2007 9:06AM

What? You don't like the 128 alpha-numeric character code you have to type in to add a single friend? I thought that was great!

1) Make Nintendo with online capability.
3) Promote FO internet.
4) ???
5) Profit!!!

James @ Nov 29th 2007 9:11AM

What? It isn't a "128 alpha-numeric character code", it's a 16 digit numeric code.

Phillip @ Nov 29th 2007 9:16AM

Ack! Sorry. I forgot to close my tag:

I know, sarcasm can be difficult to pick up via text, so I try to use the tag whenever it's more difficult to detect. :)

Also, I meant this as a reply to Jonah Falcon. My bad all over.

SJ @ Nov 29th 2007 9:31AM

Man I wish Nintendo would team up with Capcom and release something like SF Alpha 3 on Wiiware with online play. Heck I would pay $20 for that in a sec. And that game can't be that big in size anyway.

megaStryke @ Nov 29th 2007 9:37AM

Nation-wide fiber-optic Internet and I'm stuck with shitty AT&T DSL....

fyreblazer @ Nov 29th 2007 9:54AM

I'd suggest waiting until AT&T & Comcast break into the US FO market to break Verizon's hold on it. We should see prices come down for the services. AT&T's got to be planning on upgrading if their going to be offering IPTV service.

The Boo @ Nov 29th 2007 11:01AM

FYI, Our tax dollars have already paid to have FO cable laid out to all homes. The phone/cable companies just kept the money and screwed us over! I wish there was something we could do about that. We could have great high speed internet at competitive prices. Google $200 billion broadband scandal to find out more.

FK @ Nov 29th 2007 10:07AM

STOP ALL THE DOWNLOADIN

HELP COMPUTER

@#$@#$@#$@#$#@

megaStryke @ Nov 29th 2007 11:41AM

Geeeeeeee Eyeeeeeeeeeee Jooooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Rob Accomando @ Nov 29th 2007 10:36AM

wow, fast download speeds but limited storage space. Either support playing off the SD card or usb HDD. And don't offer a 10GB HD for $100 either.

Einhanderkiller @ Nov 29th 2007 10:38AM

Jizz.

Jack @ Nov 29th 2007 12:18PM

Can they maybe do this in America too? I want fiber optics : (

jaysins @ Nov 29th 2007 11:37AM

Nintendo needs to promote fiber optic support here in the US because the way we're going I will not be alive to see it unless a miracle happens and FIOS is allowed in my area.

Mr Khan @ Nov 29th 2007 5:10PM

Please, you still can't get Broadband period in chunks of this country

And where it is, the big phone/cable giants control and gouge, gouge, gouge

RD @ Nov 29th 2007 12:23PM

So, Nintendo is more concerned about getting the content to you, rather than how you're going to use it.

EXTERNAL FREAKING HARD DRIVE, NINTENDO. GOSH FREAKING DANGIT.

Grant @ Nov 29th 2007 12:55PM

i promote fiber optic every time someone bitches about the lag in their game(Australians, NZers and other islanders, i'm looking at you).
Go fiber people, it will solve all the faulty net code in the world.

Howard-the-Duck @ Nov 29th 2007 2:37PM

Another reason major companies haven't picked up on FIOS is because most of their subscribers have no need for that much bandwidth/speed. I'm sure over 50% of America's broadband subscribers only use their tubes to check e-mail and read the news/watch YouTube or something. So the demand for FIOS isn't big enough in the United States to warrant that kind of overhaul.

Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Nov 29th 2007 9:30PM

your comment makes no sense. Major companies have not picked up on FiOS? What's that mean?

The demand for FiOS is huge. You should go to Engadget and read the comments there when they talk about FiOS.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/verizon-rolls-out-super-fast-20-20-fios-internet-service/

There are nearly 70 comments there.

The demand for FiOS is huge, other companies aren't doing Fiber to the premesis because it's too costly, not because there's not enough demand.

gregory mitchell @ Nov 29th 2007 11:14PM

as a comcast tech. most people don't have it yet because it isn't available in most places yet. Plus IT IS EXPENSIVE!!!. not to mention that it cost Verizon like 5k just to do an installation. so they went to the rich areas 1st.

2nd they offer the same bandwidth as us. 6, 8, 16 they have a 50MBps though. Which i cant image what that cost a month because the 16Mbps is like 50-60/month. and because there aren't too many servers that deliver that kind of speed to you right now, if any. Its like 1080p.

And most people don't know that our distribution system IS fiber. only the feeder to drop to house is Coax. +20dB hi doesn't mean shit because the FCC standard for a TV is 0 to +15 dBmV and a converter is 0 to +10dBmV. And frequency signal level isn't measured in dB its dBmV. dB is just a measurement between two levels. So that commercial from a tech perspective is Bogus.....but then again telling someone +20dB Hi sounds cool though. Oh and by the way no component or set accepts fiber yet so guess whats in your house RG6 COAX!!!!

lvl99ultrathug @ Nov 29th 2007 3:10PM

Wtf? When looking at the pic above the article, does anybody else see like pulses traveling through the black lines in the background? And I only see them with my right eye. Looks like I gots to go to the eye doctor...

ThornedVenom @ Nov 29th 2007 5:42PM

My DSL is fine for gaming. Maybe because I don't DL pr0n like the rest of the world.

Burnt Meatloaf @ Nov 30th 2007 7:10AM

This would only make sense for downloadable movies and other bandwidth hogs. Nintendo certainly will not do stuff like that.

I say it's more PR shenanigans.

GoonieGooGoo @ Nov 30th 2007 9:37AM

Wow.....I hope NINTENDO realizes I bought the Wii for games....not the boring in 5 minutes WiiWare.

FIX THE FRIEND CODES SYSTEM and Create an actual Online matchmaking system 1st....

sherryfriedrichs @ Nov 30th 2007 10:39AM

I helped design build a fiberoptics class room/lab/network late 80's early 90's, problem is companies wanting to milk the old technologies forever to squeeze as much money out of em as they can before they invest in building infrastructure. Unfortunately they don't realize they'd make more money faster if they invest in and are on the cutting edge being a leader rather than a follower. Looks like I might be moving to Japan sometime with a daughter speaking Japanese and a son designing video games.

Cuja @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:55AM

Most inventions usually hit the market right away. This is where somebody invented something several decades ago and Spencer Gift Shop capitalized the most. It's finally being use for what it was intended for.