The Basics of Navi Dial
Navi Dial (0570) is a nationwide unified-number service from NTT Docomo Business (renamed from NTT Communications in July 2025), widely used by call centers and inquiry desks to route calls from across Japan to specific locations. It is well established as a corporate inquiry channel, but the caller pays for the call, so understanding the pricing is the shortest route to avoiding wasted money.
Navi Dial offers companies the convenience of "one number reachable nationwide", but the caller pays for the call. With toll-free numbers the receiving company pays, so the direction of the cost is exactly reversed. Rates from mobile phones in particular are high enough that the pricing often draws complaints.
Pricing for Landline Originations
For NTT Docomo Business's Navi Dial, a call to 0570 from a landline costs 9.35 yen including tax per 3 minutes (180 seconds), as of August 2026. Treatment can vary with the line you have (a subscriber line, Hikari Denwa and so on), but it stays far cheaper than the mobile rates covered below. If you have a landline to hand, that is the place to dial 0570 from.
The billing increment can still vary with the settings the receiving company chooses. Even where the unit price is low, time spent waiting for an agent counts as part of the call, so a long inquiry can reach several hundred yen.
Pricing for Mobile Originations
From a mobile phone, 0570 is significantly more expensive than from a landline. For NTT Docomo Business's Navi Dial, a call from a mobile phone costs 11 yen including tax per 20 seconds, as of August 2026 - roughly 99 yen for 3 minutes, or about 990 yen for a 30-minute consultation. Talk for as long as you would on a local call and the bill is larger than you expect.
More importantly, mobile flat-rate calling plans do not cover Navi Dial, and the operator states as much on its rate page. Even with "24-hour unlimited" or "5-minute unlimited" plans, 0570 originations are billed separately. As covered in toll-free vs Navi Dial differences, this is where the pricing tends to draw complaints.
Why Navi Dial Costs More
A pricing model favoring receivers
Navi Dial is designed so that a company can take calls from anywhere in Japan on a single number while the caller pays for the call. Running a call center costs money in staff, equipment and lines, and this arrangement keeps the call charges off the company's side of the ledger. That is the advantage over a toll-free number, where the receiver pays.
Billed outside your unlimited plan
The operator states on its rate page that Navi Dial falls outside flat-rate calling plans. What matters to you is the result: even on an unlimited plan, calls to 0570 are billed separately. If a rate announcement plays before the call connects, treat that charge as yours to pay.
What Consumers Can Do
Find alternative numbers
Many companies list non-Navi-Dial numbers on their websites or FAQs. Searching "company name + 03" or "company name + direct line" often surfaces an area-coded alternative. Some companies publish 03/06 numbers for overseas customers or direct lines for IR departments.
Use email and chat
Many companies accept inquiries by email, chat, or web form. For complex or lengthy matters, written exchanges are often cheaper. Reserve 0570 for issues that truly require voice contact.
Originate from a landline or Hikari Denwa
Landline originations are dramatically cheaper than mobile. If your household has a Hikari Denwa line, build a habit of dialing 0570 numbers from the landline to minimize monthly charges.
Where to turn if a bill seems wrong
If the pricing was not explained clearly, or a bill looks unreasonable, calling the Consumer Hotline 188 connects you to your nearest consumer affairs centre, where you can get advice on dealing with the company.
Spotting 0570 Numbers and Verifying Charges
To confirm before connecting, build these habits.
- Always check for an alternative on the company website before dialing 0570
- Where a rate announcement plays before the call connects, use it to check the unit price and the billing increment
- Guidance menus and waiting for an agent count as call time, so avoid the busiest hours
- Assume your mobile unlimited plan does not apply, and sort out what you need to ask before you dial
- For expected long calls, originate from a landline or pay phone
An Alternative Number May Be Available
Some companies publish an area-coded number or a 0120 toll-free line alongside their 0570 number. It is often tucked away at the bottom of a contact page, inside an FAQ or on the back of paperwork, so it is worth a look before you dial. Companies also sometimes list a separate contact for callers from outside Japan, since 0570 may not connect from abroad.
For companies, the number shown on a contact page also signals who is expected to pay for the call. As covered in how to choose a business phone number, customer-facing number selection mirrors a company's stance on customer service.