JTOWER expands into frequency sharing after winning millimeter wave spectrum

JTOWER, an infrastructure sharing provider, has announced a strategic shift toward “frequency sharing” following its successful bid for 26GHz millimeter wave spectrum in 13 regional areas across Japan. This marks the first time an infrastructure sharing company has been awarded frequency spectrum in the country.

Under this new model, JTOWER will provide the radio units (RU) and central/distributed units (CU/DU) for multiple mobile carriers to share a single set of equipment. While JTOWER holds the license and responsibility for network control, carriers will connect their own core networks to the shared hardware, allowing users to maintain their existing service contracts. The company plans to roll out services starting in high-traffic locations such as stadiums and airports.

In addition to spectrum sharing, JTOWER is expanding its indoor infrastructure business. The company reported that its number of indoor deployment sites has grown to 874, with a projected increase of 164 sites between June 2025 and June 2026. JTOWER is also developing specialized, dustproof and waterproof equipment for 5G deployment in subway systems, with implementation in the Tohoku and Tokyo metropolitan areas expected to continue, followed by the Chubu region.