Carbonite Online Backup Launches in Japan

Carbonite, Inc. and BB Softservice Corp., a consolidated subsidiary of SoftBank BB, have partnered to introduce the first online backup service for the retail market in Japan. The boxed product will now be available in selected retail stores throughout Japan, via e-tailers and online electronic software distribution (ESD) resellers.

"In Japan, the retail market for boxed software is far more important than it is in the U.S.," explains David Friend, CEO of Carbonite. "SoftBank BB is the largest distributor of packaged software in Japan and we have teamed up with them to get ‘Carbonite Online Backup in a box’ onto the retail shelves of major computer stores around the country. For the first time in Japan, a PC owner can buy a service that backs up his PC online, and it’s available at local computer stores ready to install."

Shintaro Taki, President of BB Softservice said: "Software as a service is coming to retail, and Carbonite Online Backup is right on the cutting edge in Japan. We think it will be very successful because of the high penetration of broadband in Japan and the simplicity and low cost of the Carbonite Online Backup service. Everyone with a PC in Japan should have this service to protect the valuable data on their computers."

Carbonite Online Backup installs with just a few clicks and runs quietly in the background, continually backing up all data files. It is completely automatic — once installed, Carbonite Online Backup finds all new and changed files and continues to back them up whenever the PC is connected to the Internet. Storage capacity is unlimited — so users never outgrow their Carbonite Online Backup subscription no matter how much data they have. Data is encrypted before leaving the local computer and is transmitted to Carbonite’s secure data center using HTTPS (SSL) for total privacy.

Floyd Bradley, Carbonite’s EVP International, said: "Carbonite’s strategic relationship with BB Softservice opens an enormous new market for Carbonite Online Backup. With some 90 million Internet users and an advanced broadband infrastructure, Japan should be an excellent market for Carbonite. BB Softservice’s management team has moved aggressively to bring Carbonite Online Backup to market, and they are the first to offer a native-language online backup solution for Japanese consumers and small businesses."

The Japanese Carbonite Online Backup product is being sold for yen 4,980 for a 13-month, unlimited-capacity subscription (approximately US$ 50). In addition to leading retail stores, the packaged product is sold through online retailers such SoftBank SELECTION. Carbonite Japanese is also downloadable from www.carbonite.jp or from http://bbsoft-direct.com/backup/index.html, payable on a monthly basis of yen 500.