Carlyle；Additional Y5bn into PHS Operator Willcom

The Carlyle Group LLC will inject 5 billion yen next month into PHS Operator, Willcom. The US firm acquired Willcom (previously DDI Pocket Inc.) alongside with Kyocera Corp. and KDDI Corp. for 220 billion yen in 2004. Willcom says it needs 140 billion yen to build infrastructure for its next-generation PHS. The service will have transmission speeds more than 20 times as fast as current offerings. Nikkei Newspaper reported that the add-on investment was a very tough decision for Carlyle, but it is expected to have a positive influence on Willcom’s 100 billion yen refinancing negotiation with Japanese banks.