Fusion Communications Corporation provides phone service for calls made from fixed-line telephones (*1) to mobile phones in Japan by connecting through an international relay system (*2). In June 2003, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications revised its policy on price-setting rights for calls made from fixed-line telephones to mobile phones, allowing carriers providing fixed-line toll bypass services to set prices. As a result of this policy change, Fusion will now begin offering fixed-line-to-mobile-phone service at a rate of 19 yen per minute through interconnections with domestic mobile phone operator exchanges (*3). This rate is lower than Fusion's service offered through international relay and will begin from April 1, 2004.

Previously, calls made using the international relay system required the dialing procedures for making an international call. The new service allows the caller simply to dial 0038 before the destination mobile phone number that begins with 090 or 080 for lower-priced calls to mobile phones.