Isahaya Cable Media

What Isahaya Cable Media does

Isahaya Cable Media (諫早ケーブルメディア株式会社) is a privately held regional cable television and telecommunications operator headquartered in Isahaya City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. Founded on May 30, 1973 as Isahaya Cable Television Broadcasting Co., Ltd., and renamed to its current name in December 2018, the company has operated continuously for over 50 years as the only wireline cable TV and broadband provider in its licensed service area covering Isahaya City and surrounding municipalities including Moriyama, Iimori, Takaki, Kuchinotsu, Tara, and Unzen City's Aino district. It has 48 employees and registered capital of ¥20.1 million.

The company's core technical asset is a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) cable network that has been progressively upgraded to FTTH since 2018. Service offerings span four pillars: (1) cable television including terrestrial digital, BS, and CS broadcasting plus an in-house produced community channel called 3SUN TV that covers local news, sports, and municipal events; (2) broadband internet at speeds from 3 Mbps cable to 10 Gbps fiber, with the 10 Gbps tier launched in July 2025 for enterprise customers; (3) Cable Plus Phone landline service delivered through a partnership with KDDI/J:COM using IP telephony; and (4) i-Mobile, an MVNO mobile service reselling NTT Docomo's network with voice/data SIM plans and age-segmented add-ons for juniors and seniors. Adjacent revenue comes from digital converter rentals (Panasonic and KDDI STBs), mesh Wi-Fi rentals, security software (Trend Micro Virus Buster Cloud and J-SAFE), remote support subscriptions, and bundle discounts of ¥300/month (double-play) or ¥930/month (triple-play).

The business model is purely recurring subscription revenue across consumer and small-business customers, with go-to-market executed via field sales (home-visit explanations and contract signing), inbound phone (0957-22-1193), online applications, and walk-in counter service at headquarters. Pricing is on monthly bank-transfer debit only (no credit cards accepted), with multi-year installation subsidies that claw back on early cancellation, locking in 36-month commitments for internet and 12-month for phone. The customer base is overwhelmingly residential, supplemented by a small municipal relationship (broadcast of Isahaya City Council sessions since 1995, designated-administrator contract for the Kōnan region cable facility since 2007) and a newly launched enterprise tier. Marketing is conducted primarily through the company's website, the 3SUN TV community channel, and a mobile app that extends 3SUN programming to smartphones and tablets.

Name

Isahaya Cable Media

Legal name

諫早ケーブルメディア株式会社

Website

https://isahaya-media.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Isahaya Cable Media is a privately held regional cable TV, broadband, landline phone, and MVNO mobile operator serving Isahaya City and surrounding municipalities in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, with 48 employees and 50+ years of local presence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cable Television & Telecommunications Services

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612)

SIC

Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)

akta.pro primary industry

Cable MSOs (Hybrid Fiber-Coax) (MPABAGAA)

Keywords

• Cable television services
• Broadband internet services
• Landline phone service
• MVNO mobile services
• Community broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Isahaya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Cable Television Subscription: Monthly subscription revenue from cable TV services including terrestrial digital, BS, and CS broadcasting. Customers pay a monthly fee based on selected channel package.
2. Internet Access Services: Monthly subscription revenue from cable internet (coaxial) and fiber optic internet services at various speed tiers (50Mbps to 10Gbps). Includes bundled router rental for fiber services.
3. Cable Plus Phone (Cable Landline): Monthly subscription revenue from KDDI-powered IP landline phone service (ケーブルプラス電話). Includes free calling between JCOM phone users and discounted rates for KDDI mobile users.
4. i-Mobile MVNO Mobile Service: MVNO mobile service reselling NTT Docomo network access, with SIM cards, handsets, and data plans for consumers. Revenue from monthly service fees and device sales.
5. Optional Channel Subscriptions: Additional monthly fees for premium channel packages (WOWOW, KNTV, J SPORTS, anime channels, etc.) on a per-converter basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Isahaya Cable Media is a regional cable television and telecommunications operator providing bundled cable TV broadcasting (terrestrial, BS, and CS digital), broadband internet over hybrid fiber-coaxial and FTTH networks, KDDI-powered landline phone service, and an NTT Docomo-based MVNO mobile service. The company also operates its own community channel (3SUN TV) with in-house local programming for subscribers in Isahaya City and surrounding municipalities of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

Product overview

Isahaya Cable Media operates as a regional cable television and telecommunications provider offering an integrated suite of services including cable television broadcasting (ケーブルテレビ), internet connectivity in both fiber and cable formats (インターネット), landline telephone service via KDDI partnership (ケーブルプラス電話), mobile MVNO service (アイ・モバイル), and community television programming (3SUN TV). The company offers these as standalone services or as bundled packages with set discounts (セット割), along with supplementary services including mesh Wi-Fi, remote support, security software, and specialized plans for seniors and children. All services are primarily targeted at residential customers in the Isahaya area of Nagasaki Prefecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 3SUN TV: Community television channel operated by Isahaya Cable Media, providing local news, sports coverage, and community programming for Isahaya City and surrounding areas.
• アイ・モバイル (i-MOBILE)
• ケーブルプラス電話 (Cable Plus Phone)

Products and services

• Cable TV (ケーブルテレビ) Cable television broadcasting service providing terrestrial digital, BS digital, and CS digital channels with multiple course options (terrestrial digital course and digital course) and additional channel packages for residential subscribers.
• Internet Service (インターネット) Broadband internet service delivered over both FTTH (fiber) and HFC (coaxial) networks with multiple speed tiers ranging from 3Mbps to 10Gbps for residential and enterprise subscribers in Isahaya City and surrounding areas.
• Cable Plus Phone (ケーブルプラス電話) IP-based landline telephone service resold under partnership with KDDI, offering local, domestic long-distance, and mobile calls at flat-rate pricing with free calls between Cable Plus Phone/J:COM PHONE users.
• i-Mobile MVNO Service (アイ・モバイル) Mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service reselling NTT Docomo network access with standard, micro, and nano SIM cards, voice and data plans, handsets, and junior/senior targeted packs for cable TV subscribers.
• 3SUN TV Community Channel Proprietary community television channel providing in-house produced local programming including 3SUNひろば (local news and features), 週刊スポーツハイライト (weekly sports highlights), and ワイドでみたい (event coverage), plus Isahaya City Council broadcasts and municipal information.
• Mesh Wi-Fi Plan (メッシュWi-Fiプラン) Mesh Wi-Fi rental and setup service using Buffalo routers at ¥330/month per router to extend wireless coverage throughout subscribers' homes, with staff-supported setup.
• Remote Support Service (リモートサポートサービス) Remote technical support subscription providing unlimited phone and remote desktop assistance for Wi-Fi setup, printer configuration, email setup, and security software configuration, available 9:00-21:00 daily.
• Virus Buster Cloud (ウイルスバスター クラウド) Trend Micro cloud security software resold to internet subscribers in 1-device (¥330/month) and 3-device (¥440/month) versions, bundled with net trouble lawyer expense insurance.
• J-SAFE Family Internet Safety Family internet security subscription covering up to 5 devices for ¥440/month, providing protection against online threats across multiple household devices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to ¥930/month savings with triple-service bundle (Cable TV + Internet + Cable Phone)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• さくら損害保険株式会社 (Sakura Sompo Insurance)minorOthers · 1 April 2024Sakura Sompo Insurance is the underwriter for the net trouble lawyer expense insurance (ネットトラブル弁護士費用保険) offered as a bundled benefit with security software. Insurance coverage up to ¥100,000 for legal consultation and ¥300,000 for lawyer fees.
• 弁護士ドットコム (Bengo4.com)minorOthers · 1 April 2024Lawyer dot Com provides a directory of net trouble specialists available to customers who file insurance claims under the net trouble lawyer expense insurance policy.
• NTT Docomo (NTT合作社)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2016NTT Docomo provides the mobile network infrastructure (LTE Xi and 3G FOMA) for Isahaya Cable Media's i-Mobile MVNO service. i-Mobile operates as a Docomo-based MVNO, reselling Docomo network access to Isahaya Cable Media's cable TV subscribers. Service launched September 1, 2016.
• KDDI株式会社 (KDDI)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2011KDDI provides the IP network technology and infrastructure for the ケーブルプラス電話 (Cable Plus Phone) landline service. Isahaya Cable Media resells this service to its cable TV subscribers. Service launched May 1, 2011. KDDI also provides the au smart value discount program for bundled au mobile + cable services.
• 十八親和銀行minorOthersPrimary transaction bank (取引金融機関) for Isahaya Cable Media.
• たちばな信用金庫, 長崎銀行, ろうきん, 郵便局, 長崎県中央農協, 大長崎農協, 橘湾中央漁港, 三菱信用組合, 西九州信用金庫minorOthersTransaction banks and financial institutions listed in the company profile. These are listed as designated financial institutions for business operations, likely for deposits, loans, and payment processing.
• 諫早医師会minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement with Isahaya Medical Association (signed July 1, 2009) for providing influenza epidemic information to subscribers via cable TV L-text system.
• 株式会社アイテム (Item Co.)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides technical and remote support services for i-Mobile MVNO subscribers. Handles phone support for terminal setup, operation inquiries, Gmail configuration, APN settings, and other technical issues. Service hours 9:00-21:00, 365 days/year.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• J:COM: Japan's largest cable TV and telecommunications operator (KDDI subsidiary), offering the same quad-play bundle (TV, internet, landline, mobile) as Isahaya Cable Media. Most directly comparable on product offering and business model, but materially larger in scale and geographic reach.
• Star Cable (スターケーブル): Regional cable TV operator in the Kansai area offering cable TV, internet, and telephony to residential subscribers. Closely comparable in size, regional focus, and bundled-service model.
• Bay Communications (baycom): Regional cable operator serving the Yokohama/Minamiboso area of Kanagawa and Chiba with cable TV, internet, and phone services. Closely comparable as a multi-service regional cable operator with similar product mix and target customer.
• Tokyu Cable: Cable operator in the Tokyo/SETAGAYA area offering cable TV, internet, and telecom services to residential subscribers. Comparable in bundled service offering and target market.
• Kintetsu Cable Network (KCN): Regional cable operator serving Nara and parts of Osaka with cable TV, fiber internet, and telephony. Comparable size, product mix (TV + Internet + Phone), and community/regional focus.
• Sendai CATV: Regional cable operator in the Miyagi/Sendai area offering cable TV, internet, and telephone services. Comparable regional Japanese cable operator with similar multi-service bundle.
• Tama Cable Network (TCN): Regional cable TV and internet provider serving the Tama area west of Tokyo. Similar scale and product offering (cable TV + internet), directly comparable business model.

Others

• NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation): Public broadcaster whose channels are distributed via Isahaya Cable Media's network; not a competitor but an ecosystem participant whose content, retransmission fees, and B-CAS obligations shape cable operators' economics and channel lineup decisions.

Broad incumbents

• NTT East (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East): Dominant fixed-line telecom and FTTH (FLET'S hikari) provider in eastern Japan, including the Isahaya/Nagasaki region. Directly competes with Isahaya Cable Media's internet service via nationwide fiber and is a structural competitive threat the operator must price against.
• KDDI: Major Japanese telecom incumbent and parent of J:COM; also Isahaya Cable Media's infrastructure partner for Cable Plus Phone and au Smart Value cross-discount. Comparable as a fixed-line telecom provider with overlapping capabilities, but operates at national scale across multiple product lines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Isahaya Cable Media