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Mobile Routers and Home-Router Alternatives

A mobile router Japan residents use for home internet is a pocket-sized or desktop device that pulls the carrier 5G or 4G network instead of a fixed fiber line.12 It suits anyone whose building blocks fiber installation, who needs internet from day one, or who moves too often to reinstall fiber each time.

Confirm current details with official sources

Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at UQ WiMAX, NTT docomo, Y!mobile, and SoftBank's official plan pages.

Overview​

This guide covers the pocket-WiFi market as a home-internet alternative: UQ WiMAX 5G, docomo home 5G, Y!mobile pocket WiFi, and the related home-router option SoftBank Air.1234 It also clarifies what Rakuten Casa actually is, since the name comes up in this context but the product is a different kind of device.5

Coverage and building structure decide how well any of these works at a given address. Concrete walls, high floors, and rural zones can all weaken reception even inside the official service area.12

How mobile routers and home routers work​

Both types connect over the carrier mobile network rather than a fixed fiber line. No technician visit, no wall drilling, and no shared-area access permission is needed.12

Advertised maximum speeds are best-effort technical values. Real speed varies with the room, the building, congestion, and the device itself.16

Pocket-type mobile routers​

Pocket-type routers such as the UQ Speed Wi-Fi DOCK 5G 01 and the Y!mobile A102ZT run on a battery and fit in a bag.76 The DOCK 5G 01 runs about 540 minutes of continuous communication from its 5,400 mAh battery.7

Connection counts are generous: the DOCK 5G 01 supports up to 48 WiFi plus one wired or USB connection, while the A102ZT supports up to 30 WiFi devices.76 One pocket router can therefore serve a whole household's phones and laptops at once.

Desktop home routers​

Desktop home routers such as the UQ Speed Wi-Fi HOME 5G L13 and the docomo HR02 plug into an AC outlet and stay indoors.82 UQ recommends a window-side spot where the base-station signal arrives easily.1

The L13 supports 32 WiFi plus 2 wired LAN connections with Wi-Fi 6, while the docomo HR02 supports up to 64 WiFi plus 2 wired LAN devices.82 One difference matters for movers: docomo home 5G works only at the registered installation address, so using it elsewhere requires an address-change procedure.2

Main products on the market​

Four carrier products cover most of the market, plus one name that needs clarifying. The lineup below is summarized in the cost table further down.

UQ WiMAX 5G​

WiMAX +5G rides three networks: WiMAX, au 4G LTE, and au 5G.1 The Giga-hodai Plus S monthly fee is ¥5,280 including tax (as of 2026-08; confirm current figures with UQ WiMAX).1 A 13-month ¥682 discount brings the start to ¥4,598 per month (as of 2026-08).1

Standard mode carries no monthly data-volume limit, though heavy use within a period can trigger congestion-hour speed limits (as of 2026-08).1 The optional plus-area mode costs ¥1,100 extra per month and widens the usable au 5G and 4G LTE area (as of 2026-08).1 Its volume is capped at 30GB per month, with overage throttled to 128 kbps maximum until month-end (as of 2026-08).1

The HOME 5G L13 device lists at ¥33,220 lump sum, reduced to ¥11,880 for new contracts under the online-shop campaign (as of 2026-09).8 A separate registration fee of ¥3,300 applies (as of 2026-09).7 Advertised peak speed is 4.2 Gbps down and 286 Mbps up in part of areas.8

docomo home 5G​

The home 5G Plan costs ¥4,800 per month excluding tax, or ¥5,280 including tax (as of 2026-09; confirm current figures with NTT docomo).29 The dedicated HR01 or HR02 device is charged separately (as of 2026-09).2

The administrative service fee is free at the docomo Online Shop and ¥4,950 including tax at shops and mass retailers (as of 2026-09).2 Data is marketed as unlimited, with possible slowdowns at peak hours or after especially heavy use in the last three days including the current day (as of 2026-09).2

Two limits apply everywhere. Service works only at the registered installation address.2 And 5G communication works only inside 5G areas, with speed varying by what the network delivers at the installation spot.2

A home 5G Set discount of up to ¥1,210 per month per line applies when a family-discount-group line combines home 5G with an applicable docomo smartphone plan (as of 2026-09).2

Pair home 5G with a docomo phone plan for the set discount

The up to ¥1,210 monthly set discount applies indefinitely while both lines stay in the same family group, which can erase the price gap with cheaper pocket plans.2

Rakuten Casa and Y!mobile pocket WiFi​

Y!mobile's Pocket WiFi Plan 2 (Basic) charges a base monthly fee of ¥4,065.6 including tax with no fixed-term contract (as of 2026-09; confirm current figures with Y!mobile).3 Standard-mode data over 7GB per month (5GB on the Light variant) slows to 128 kbps maximum until month-end (as of 2026-09).10

An Advance mode with the Advance option removes the monthly cap in AXGP-covered areas, but it cannot use 5G or international roaming, and a three-day heavy-use control can still apply (as of 2026-09).10 The A102ZT device costs ¥28,800, discounted to ¥10,800 total on new online-shop contracts (as of 2026-09).6 Its advertised peak is 2.1 Gbps down over USB cable (884 Mbps over WiFi) on 5G and 838 Mbps down on 4G, in limited areas on a best-effort basis.6

Rakuten Casa needs a correction. The 楽天カーサ (Rakuten Casa) device is not a standalone home-internet router but a small indoor base station lent free of charge that boosts Rakuten Mobile signal inside the home.5 It requires an existing Rakuten Mobile Saikyo Plan contract plus a carrier-designated broadband line at the same address, with monthly use and rental both free.5

SoftBank Air is the closest SoftBank equivalent of a desktop home router. Its base monthly fee is ¥5,368 (as of 2026-09; confirm current figures with SoftBank).4 The fee rises by ¥330 to ¥5,698 per month from 2026-12-01 (as of 2026-09).4

The Air Terminal 6 device costs ¥95,040 cash or ¥539 per month on rental (as of 2026-09).4 New-contract campaigns discount the first 24 months, for example to ¥4,950 per month (as of 2026-09).4

Costs and data caps​

Monthly plan fees cluster in the same band as fiber. The table below reflects carrier-published fees (as of 2026-08 and 2026-09 depending on the row; confirm current figures with each carrier).1234

ItemMonthly feeAs ofNotes
UQ WiMAX 5G Giga-hodai Plus S, discounted start¥4,5982026-08113-month discount, then ¥5,280
UQ WiMAX 5G Giga-hodai Plus S, standard¥5,2802026-081Standard mode volume unlimited
docomo home 5G Plan¥5,2802026-092Device charged separately
Y!mobile Pocket WiFi Plan 2, Basic¥4,065.62026-093No fixed term; 7GB standard-mode cap
SoftBank Air, base¥5,3682026-094¥5,698 from Dec 2026

Monthly cost picture​

The mobile-router and home-router monthly range runs roughly ¥4,000 to ¥5,500, overlapping typical fiber pricing of about ¥4,620 to ¥5,720 reported by a resident-focused comparison (as of 2026-04).123411 Plan fee alone does not decide the cheapest option, since device and setup costs differ widely.

Device and setup charges stack on top of the monthly fee. Figures below are carrier-published (as of 2026-09; confirm current figures with each carrier).87264

ItemAmountAs ofNotes
UQ HOME 5G L13 lump, before campaign¥33,2202026-098¥11,880 after new-contract discount
UQ registration fee¥3,3002026-097Per new contract
docomo shop administrative fee¥4,9502026-092Free at online shop
Y!mobile A102ZT, before online discount¥28,8002026-096¥10,800 after discount
SoftBank Air Terminal 6 cash price¥95,0402026-094Or ¥539 per month rental

Data limits and throttling​

Unlimited rarely means unconditioned. UQ standard mode markets unlimited volume with possible congestion-hour limits after heavy use, while plus-area mode caps at 30GB per month and then drops to 128 kbps (as of 2026-08).1

docomo home 5G markets unlimited data with possible slowdowns at peak hours or after heavy three-day use (as of 2026-09).2 Y!mobile standard mode slows to 128 kbps after 7GB per month, or 5GB on the Light variant (as of 2026-09).10 Its Advance mode removes the monthly cap in covered areas but gives up 5G (as of 2026-09).10

Read the throttling clause before counting on unlimited

Every unlimited label on this page carries a congestion or heavy-use exception. Anyone working over video calls all day should test real speeds at their own address first.1210

When a mobile or home router fits​

Three situations favor a router over fiber. The decision flow below maps them.

Temporary residence before fiber​

Routers work from arrival day with no installation visit. UQ ships online orders in two to three days and activates same-day at stores, which bridges the one-to-three-week fiber installation wait.112

Rental with building fiber restrictions​

No wiring work or shared-area access means no landlord drilling permission. That makes routers the fallback where the owner or building blocks individual fiber installation.12

Backup connection and frequent movers​

A pocket router doubles as an outside-home connection for travel days and office days.7 A home router moves by plugging into an outlet at the next address, though docomo requires the address-change procedure first.2

Speed compared with fiber​

On paper, mobile 5G peaks can match fiber. UQ's L13 advertises 4.2 Gbps down in part of areas and Y!mobile's A102ZT 2.1 Gbps down over USB in part of areas, against typical 1 Gbps fiber plans.86 All of these are best-effort maxima, so the comparison only holds where coverage and conditions are ideal.

In practice, a resident-focused comparison puts mobile speeds at roughly 30 to 500 Mbps against fiber at 100 to 2,000 Mbps (as of 2026-04).11 Fiber stays the more consistent option for heavy downloading, gaming, and full-time work from home.11 Pocket WiFi handles browsing and video calls comfortably but is not the tool for heavy downloading or competitive gaming.11

Good to know​

Test reception at your address before committing​

Advertised 5G peaks apply only in covered areas, and concrete or high-floor rooms can underperform even inside them.12 UQ offers a free 15-day Try WiMAX rental to test reception at home before signing.1 Run that test where the router will actually sit, not at the shop counter.

Confirm the registered-address rule before carrying the router elsewhere​

docomo home 5G works only at the registered installation address, and any other location needs an address-change procedure.2 A pocket router has no such tie and travels freely.7 Pick the form factor that matches how often the connection moves.

Count the device and the monthly fee together​

Plan fees from about ¥4,000 to ¥5,500 per month (as of 2026-08 and 2026-09 depending on the carrier) look fiber-like until the device joins the math.1234 Terminal prices run from ¥10,800 after discounts to ¥95,040 cash, plus ¥3,300 to ¥4,950 in registration fees (as of 2026-09).87264 Spread the device over the expected stay length before comparing with fiber.

Watch the SoftBank Air December 2026 revision​

SoftBank Air's base fee rises ¥330 to ¥5,698 per month from 2026-12-01, and campaign-discounted totals move with it (as of 2026-09).4 Anyone signing near that date should confirm which side of the revision the contract falls on.

See also​

References​

Footnotes​

  1. UQ WiMAX (UQ Communications). 「工事不要で高速！WiMAX +5Gホームルーター」 (official product page). https://www.uqwimax.jp/wimax/5g/home/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19 ↩20 ↩21 ↩22 ↩23

  2. NTT docomo. "home 5G" (official English page). https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/home_5g/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19 ↩20 ↩21 ↩22 ↩23 ↩24 ↩25 ↩26 ↩27 ↩28

  3. Y!mobile (SoftBank). 「Pocket WiFiプラン2（ベーシック）」 (plan fee page). https://www.ymobile.jp/plan/data/pocketwifi_2/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  4. SoftBank. 「SoftBank Air（ソフトバンクエアー）料金」 (official pricing page). https://www.softbank.jp/internet/air/price/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13

  5. Rakuten Mobile. 「Rakuten Casa（楽天カーサ）」 (official page). https://network.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/area/rakuten-casa/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  6. Y!mobile (SoftBank). 「Pocket WiFi 5G A102ZT」 (device spec page). https://www.ymobile.jp/lineup/pocketwifi/a102zt/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  7. UQ WiMAX Online Shop. 「Speed Wi-Fi DOCK 5G 01」 (pocket-type device specs and pricing page). https://shop.uqwimax.jp/shop/dock01/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  8. UQ WiMAX Online Shop. 「Speed Wi-Fi HOME 5G L13」 (device specs and pricing page). https://shop.uqwimax.jp/shop/l13/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  9. NTT docomo. 「home 5G（ホームルーター／家庭用Wi-Fi）」 (official Japanese page, plan pricing). https://www.docomo.ne.jp/home_5g/ ↩

  10. Y!mobile (SoftBank). 「Pocket WiFiの通信サービスに関する重要説明事項」 (data caps and throttling terms). https://www.ymobile.jp/jusetsu/mvno/jusetsu04/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  11. Zairyu Navi. "Home Internet in Japan: Fiber, Pocket WiFi & Home Router Compared." https://zairyu-navi.com/en/guide/sim/home-internet-japan ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  12. Sakura Mobile. "The Best eSIM, SIM Card, WiFi & Home Internet for Japan" (fiber installation lead-time context). https://www.sakuramobile.jp/ ↩