“My landline hasn’t rung in months, but I’m still paying for it every month...” If that sounds familiar, you’re definitely not alone. According to NTT, the number of Subscriber Telephone contracts has fallen by about 80% from its peak. And with NTT’s Subscriber Telephone service getting its first price increase in about 30 years starting in April 2026, many people are probably thinking, “Maybe this is the time to cancel.”

In this article, we’ll explain how to cancel NTT Subscriber Telephone and Hikari Denwa in simple terms, based on the latest information as of March 2026. We’ll also cover the difference between cancellation and service suspension, plus the things you should always check before making a final decision.

NTT Landline Prices Go Up in April 2026: If You’re Thinking About Canceling, Now’s the Time to Review It

NTT East and NTT West have officially announced that they’ll revise the basic monthly fees for “Subscriber Telephone” and “Subscriber Telephone Light Plan” service starting with usage from April 1, 2026. For residential customers, the increase is 220 yen per month. On the most common Grade 3 exchange plan, the monthly fee will rise from 1,870 yen to 2,090 yen. That’s about 2,640 yen more per year.

The reason behind the increase is that Subscriber Telephone usage has dropped by about 80% from its peak, while the number and duration of calls have fallen by 96% compared with peak levels. At the same time, maintenance and repair costs for aging metal copper lines keep rising, so NTT says the price revision is unavoidable. It’s the first basic-fee increase for fixed-line phones since 1995, roughly 30 years ago.

By the way, Hikari Denwa, the fiber-optic IP phone service, isn’t included in this price increase. If you use Hikari Denwa, you don’t need to rush to cancel. But if you barely use a landline at all, this is a good moment to rethink whether you still need it.

First, Check Which Type of Landline You Have: Subscriber Telephone or Hikari Denwa

The cancellation process depends on the type of service you have. Start by confirming which one you’re using.

Subscriber Telephone, including analog lines and INS-Net, is the traditional phone service that uses metal copper lines. This applies if you paid the “facility installation charge,” often called telephone subscription rights, which is 39,600 yen including tax, when you signed up, or if you chose the Light Plan without subscription rights.

Hikari Denwa is an IP phone service that uses a fiber-optic internet line, such as FLET’S Hikari. It doesn’t require subscription rights, and its basic monthly fee is usually lower than Subscriber Telephone.

If you’re not sure which service you have, you can check in these ways:

  • Look at your NTT bill or statement — it should say “Subscriber Telephone” or “Hikari Denwa”
  • Call NTT East at 0120-116-000 or NTT West at 0800-2000-116 — they can tell you what’s on your contract
  • Dial 116 from your NTT landline — this is the easiest way to check

Cancellation, Service Suspension, and Temporary Disconnection: If You’re Unsure, Suspension Is the Safer Choice

When you stop using an NTT landline, you actually have three options. They work differently, so choose the one that fits your situation.

1. Cancellation — This completely ends the contract. You give up both the phone number and any telephone subscription rights. You can’t restore them later. If you need a landline again in the future, you’ll have to sign up as a new customer and pay the facility installation charge again. This is for people who are certain they’ll never use a landline again.

2. Service suspension — This lets you leave your telephone subscription rights with NTT for up to 10 years. Your phone number will change if you restart service later, but you won’t pay the basic monthly fee while the line is suspended. You need to renew the suspension every five years. If you miss the deadline, it’s automatically treated as a cancellation. This is a good option if you probably won’t use a landline but want to keep your options open.

3. Temporary disconnection — This pauses service while keeping your phone number. However, you’ll continue to pay part of the monthly line fee. It’s best for people who definitely plan to restart service, such as during a move.

If you’re on the fence, service suspension is usually the best choice. Your basic monthly fee drops to zero, which can save you more than about 20,000 yen per year, and you can restore your subscription rights within 10 years.

How to Cancel an NTT Landline: You Can Do It by Phone or Online

The process for cancellation or service suspension is surprisingly simple. There’s no construction fee either.

Method 1: By Phone, the Easiest Option

  1. Dial 116 from your NTT landline, the same number for NTT East and NTT West
  2. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., including weekends and holidays
  3. Tell the operator you want to cancel or suspend your service
  4. They’ll confirm the account holder’s name, phone number, and address
  5. Choose a cancellation date, and the procedure is complete

If you’re calling from a mobile phone, call 0120-116-000 for NTT East or 0800-2000-116 for NTT West.

Method 2: Online

You can complete the cancellation process online through the official NTT East website or the official NTT West website. Applications are accepted 24 hours a day, so this is handy if you can’t call during the day.

If You Use Hikari Denwa

If you only want to cancel Hikari Denwa while keeping your FLET’S Hikari internet service, call 0120-116-116 for NTT East or 0800-200-1057 for NTT West. Just note that Hikari Denwa is an add-on service for FLET’S Hikari, so if you cancel FLET’S Hikari itself, Hikari Denwa will be canceled automatically.

You may be asked to submit identity verification documents during the cancellation process, so it’s a good idea to have your driver’s license, My Number Card, or another ID ready.

5 Things to Check Before You Cancel

Before you cancel on impulse and regret it later, check these five things first.

1. List the Services Registered With Your Landline Number

You may have more services tied to your landline number than you realize: banks, insurance, credit cards, school contact forms, and more. If you don’t update them to your mobile number before canceling, you might miss important notices.

2. Check Whether You Still Use Fax

If you use a fax machine at home, canceling your landline means your fax will stop working too. These days, internet fax services such as eFax can replace a home fax line, so move over first if you still need fax service.

3. Check Home Security and Monitoring Services

Home security services such as ALSOK and SECOM, as well as senior monitoring services, may use your fixed phone line. Contact the service provider before canceling. If the line disappears, the service may stop working.

4. If You Want to Keep the Number, Consider Number Portability

Two-way number portability started in January 2025, making it possible to transfer a fixed-line number to another telecom provider. See the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications guide. For example, you can move an NTT Subscriber Telephone number to Hikari Denwa or another company’s IP phone service while keeping the same number.

However, once you cancel first, you can no longer use number portability. If you want to keep the number, always start the transfer with the new provider before canceling the old service.

5. Make Sure You Have a Backup Way to Communicate During Disasters

If you cancel your landline, your mobile phone becomes your only everyday communication method. During major disasters, mobile networks can become congested and hard to connect to, so it’s worth learning how to use Disaster Emergency Message Dial 171 as a way to stay in touch with family.

FAQ

Does it cost money to cancel a landline?

For both NTT Subscriber Telephone and Hikari Denwa, there’s generally no cancellation fee or construction fee. However, you’ll still need to settle any unpaid charges.

Will I get a refund for my telephone subscription rights or facility installation charge?

Unfortunately, no. The fee isn’t refunded. If you cancel, your subscription rights disappear. If you need a landline again later, you’ll have to either pay a new facility installation charge of 39,600 yen including tax or sign up for a Light Plan. If you’re unsure, service suspension lets you keep your subscription rights for 10 years.

What happens to my phone number after cancellation?

If you cancel, you lose the phone number and can’t restore it. If you want to keep the number, you can transfer it to another provider using number portability, or use temporary disconnection to pause service while keeping the number.

If I cancel my landline, will my internet stop working too?

If you’re only canceling a Subscriber Telephone metal line, it won’t affect internet services such as FLET’S Hikari. However, Hikari Denwa is an optional service for FLET’S Hikari, so if you cancel FLET’S Hikari itself, Hikari Denwa will also end. You can also cancel only Hikari Denwa while keeping your internet service.

Does the April 2026 price increase apply to Hikari Denwa?

No. The April 2026 basic-fee increase applies only to metal-line “Subscriber Telephone” and “Subscriber Telephone Light Plan” services. It doesn’t apply to Hikari Denwa.

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