VANCOUVER, Canada, May 29 -- 360networks announced it has been granted a Type 1 facilities-based license to own and operate telecommunications infrastructure in Japan, the largest telecommunications hub in the Asia-Pacific region. This license will allow 360networks to deliver bandwidth and colocation services to its global customers in Japan.
    360networks will be one of the few global carriers able to provide customers with connectivity to Japan and other parts of Asia with full end-to-end management over a seamless optical network," said John Tull, president of 360networks' Asia division. "In response to strong demand from our customers, our first commitment is to launch optical transport and IP services in Japan by the fourth quarter of this year."
    Japan's telecommunications market is the second largest in the world, with an estimated value of more than $130 billion. The country boasts approximately 64 million wireless subscribers, 34 million wireless Internet users and 25 million residential wire line Internet users. Broadband Internet subscriptions are growing at a rate of approximately 250,000 every three months.