Basic charge is the fixed monthly fee for maintaining a phone line, incurred regardless of call usage. For landlines the equivalent item is the line usage fee on an NTT subscriber telephone (analog line). As of August 2026 it is the same in eastern and western Japan: 1,980-2,090 yen per month for a residential line and 2,970-3,080 yen for a business line, tax included. The spread comes from the class of the local exchange, which reflects its size, and from whether the line is push-button or dial; a push-button line on a class-3 exchange costs 2,090 yen residential or 3,080 yen business. Fiber optic Hikari Denwa runs 550 yen per month, under a third of the subscriber telephone fee.
As of 2026, published mobile plans range from 4,000-8,000 yen/month for major carriers to 1,000-3,000 yen for MVNOs. Online-only budget plans such as ahamo, povo, and LINEMO launched in 2021. povo's revolutionary 0-yen base lets users purchase only needed features as "toppings."
Landline savings options include switching from analog to Hikari Denwa (saving 1,430-1,540 yen/month on a residential line), SoftBank's "Ouchi no Denwa" (1,078 yen/month, or 550 yen with a bundle discount), or cancelling the landline if rarely used.
Watch for costs beyond basic charges. Number Display (440 yen/month), voicemail (330 yen/month), and call forwarding (550 yen/month) are billed separately, all tax included. Check for unnecessary options at signup and review periodically to optimize costs.