ahamo is raising its price.
Hearing that, you wonder, “Should I switch?” Right. You do.
This article organizes the content of a column published on Keitai Watch (Junya Ishino’s “Smartphones and Money,” published October 7, 2026).
One thing up front: this site uses Rakuten Mobile referral links. I’ll write the parts that are unfavorable to Rakuten as they are, too.
This article is based on the column’s content as of October 7, 2026.
The 30-second summary
- ahamo becomes 3,135 yen for 40GB (previously 2,970 yen, a 165 yen increase)
- Capacity goes up by 10GB. Beyond 40GB, pricing becomes tiered
- In the comparison, Rakuten Mobile is unlimited at 3,278 yen for over 20GB. But in the range from over 20GB to 40GB, ahamo is cheaper, which reverses the usual order
- The effective date is written inconsistently within the column. It needs to be checked against the official announcement
What’s in ahamo’s price revision (as written in the column)
- New price: 3,135 yen for 40GB. It was 2,970 yen, so a 165 yen increase
- The 40GB currently offered in a trial campaign becomes the regular capacity
- Tiered pricing is introduced:
- Over 40GB to 60GB: 4,125 yen
- Over 60GB to 120GB: 5,115 yen
- The existing ways to add data were data charging at 550 yen per 1GB, and the “Omori option (大盛りオプション)” that adds 80GB for 1,980 yen
According to the column, the impact depends on how much you use.
- People using 120GB with the Omori option: a 165 yen increase from the current 4,950 yen
- People who stay within over 40GB to 60GB: the price becomes 4,125 yen, a 825 yen decrease
The effective date needs checking
The dates in the column are inconsistent. The opening and the price section say “October 1,” while the figure caption and the tiered-pricing section say “December 1.” The headline of a related article says “December,” and the Omori option is said to “end on November 30.”
The column does not explain which is correct. Please check the effective date in docomo’s official announcement.
Comparison with other carriers (as written in the column)
| Service | What the column says |
|---|---|
| ahamo (new price) | 3,135 yen for 40GB |
| UQ mobile Komikomi Plan Value (コミコミプランバリュー) | 3,828 yen (with Ponta Pass). Permanent discount from the 13th month or with a Gold Card. Capacity is said to be smaller than ahamo |
| Y!mobile Simple 3 L | 35GB, with flat-rate voice calls. 3,058 yen after various discounts, 5,478 yen without discounts |
| Rakuten Mobile Rakuten Saikyo Plan (Rakuten最強プラン) | 3,278 yen for over 20GB (unlimited) |
The column says that getting Y!mobile down to 3,058 yen requires conditions such as a Gold Card or a fiber-optic line.
The premises of the comparison are the data amount (ahamo 40GB, Y!mobile 35GB) and whether discounts exist and apply. UQ’s specific data capacity and the details of each carrier’s calling conditions are not written in the column.
The author’s view (from here on, it’s opinion)
The column’s author states the following.
- On base price, UQ is well above ahamo. Y!mobile is slightly cheaper only after discounts, while ahamo has the edge in capacity and convenience
- The increase is small, tiers make it more convenient, and in some cases the price goes down. The impression is that competitiveness has actually risen
- docomo MAX is worth considering for people who use over 60GB
This is the author’s assessment. Please read it separately from the facts.
Where Rakuten Mobile stands (an honest take)
The column says the following about Rakuten Mobile.
- Because it is unlimited at 3,278 yen, it admits ahamo cannot compete with it
- On the other hand, in the range from over 20GB to 40GB, the reversal happens where ahamo is cheaper. Once you go over 40GB, ahamo becomes the more expensive one
- The choice comes down to the balance between worry about coverage area and the price difference
In other words, for people who use roughly over 20GB to 40GB of data and are worried about Rakuten’s coverage, ahamo may be the better fit in some cases.
People who use more than 40GB, or whose usage varies a lot from month to month, have the advantage with unlimited Rakuten Mobile.
How to look when choosing
- How much you use each month: the better contract changes depending on whether it’s under 20GB, 20 to 40GB, or over 40GB
- Signal at home and work: if you’re worried about coverage, start here. The au roaming arrangement ended at the end of September 2026. (See our article on what changes when au roaming ends.)
- Whether you can meet the discount conditions: for Y!mobile and UQ, a Gold Card or a fiber-optic line may be required
- Major carriers versus budget carriers: covered in our article on the difference between MNO and MVNO
There is also a carrier comparison in another article of ours. For unlimited plans, see our unlimited plan review.
Summary
- ahamo is 3,135 yen for 40GB (a 165 yen increase). Tiered pricing applies beyond 40GB. The effective date is written inconsistently within the column
- Rakuten Mobile is unlimited at 3,278 yen for over 20GB. In the range from over 20GB to 40GB, there is a reversal where ahamo is cheaper
- The author rates ahamo’s revision as “competitiveness has actually risen” (this is opinion)
- When choosing, look at how much you use, signal at home and work, and discount conditions
Prices change. Before you apply, check the latest amounts and conditions on each company’s official page.
Source: Keitai Watch
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This article contains machine translation. For official terms, please refer to the multilingual pages on the official Rakuten Mobile website.
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