Can au's "povo 2.0" be operated for "0 yen per month"? Actually there are restrictions-ITmedia Mobile

KDDI will revise the online-only plan "povo" to "povo 2.0" from the end of September. Until now, povo was only one type with 20GB data communication for 2728 yen (tax included, same below), but the monthly charge is 0 yen and the data capacity is selected with the optional "topping". ..

For data communication, you can use it at a low speed of 128kbps without purchasing toppings. The SMS usage fee is 3.3 yen per transmission, but reception is free. The domestic call charge is 22 yen per 30 seconds, but of course incoming calls are free. In other words, if you just receive or receive SMS, you can operate it for 0 yen per month.

However, it cannot be operated at 0 yen all the time. According to KDDI, if you do not make calls or send SMS for 180 days or more, or if you do not purchase toppings, that is, if you do not use paid services, you may be suspended or canceled. It is not enough to make a call or use SMS even once within 180 days, and it is necessary to use more than a certain amount. Details will be announced separately.

[Correction: September 13, 2021 20:05 At the time of the first appearance, it was stated that if you use call transmission or SMS transmission even once in 180 days, you can operate for 0 yen, but you can use more than a certain amount. It was necessary, so I revised it. ]

If you purchase toppings, you can use the paid service again within 180 days from the day after the topping expiration date for a certain amount or more. By the way, the universal usage fee and the telephone relay service fee will not be incurred for the time being regardless of the use of the paid service.

It is not the usage that KDDI envisions to keep 0 yen all the time, but the aim of povo 2.0 is to combine toppings as needed. However, it seems that the restrictions on the use of paid services are not strict as "a fixed amount for 180 days", so it is one of the attractions that you can easily have povo as a sub line.

Although there are some restrictions, it is a major feature of povo 2.0 that it can be operated at 0GB every month and there is no basic data communication charge. For those who rarely use mobile communication, it would be ant to use povo as the main line for calls. All-you-can-call for 5 minutes is available for 550 yen per month, and all-you-can-call is available for 1650 yen per month, so you can subscribe to the all-you-can-call service and continue to operate for 550 yen per month or 1650 yen per month.

If the data capacity of 0GB is really strict, Rakuten Mobile's "Rakuten UN-LIMIT VI" is 0 yen up to 1GB, so if you subscribe to both Rakuten Mobile and povo 2.0, you can spend 1GB + 5 minutes for 550 yen per month. You can get the environment. Both are compatible with eSIM, so if you have an eSIM compatible model such as an iPhone or Pixel, you only need one smartphone. By making data communication a complete option, povo 2.0 is likely to have various uses.

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