Long-distance carrier Japan Telecom Co., Tokyo, plans to start local telephone services in July

Long-distance carrier Japan Telecom Co., Tokyo, plans to start local telephone services in July after completing its fiber-optic and radio telecommunications network. The company will lay fiber-optic cable networks near railway stations, combine them with radio links in other areas, and hook them up to existing trunk lines that follow major railroad beds. Service will initially target corporate clients located near major railway stations in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Sapporo, and Fukuoka. Japan Telecom is affiliated with a group of privatized firms that were formerly part of Japan National Railways. The company intends to provide telecommunications services and reduce dependence on Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. for linking local calls, and projects 30 billion yen in annual revenue from the additional services within five years.