Luxury mobile phone maker Vertu, owned by Finnish cell phone giant Nokia, will begin this year offering mobile services in Japan. 
Vertu, which makes expensive, handcrafted handhelds that are often crafted with precious metals and gems, said it would offer its customers high-end amenities including a personal concierge service.
The company will become a "mobile virtual network operator," or MVNO, called "Vertu Club." Rather than owning their own network, MVNOs buy wholesale airtime from other carriers.
Last December, Vertu briefly mentioned a partnership with Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo to become the first mobile phone maker to enter the Japanese service provider domain, which has been dominated by domestic companies.
Vertu Club will be hosted by Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) in Singapore, capable of servicing customers throughout the Asia Pacific region.
"Meeting the needs of customers in this segment requires a specialised approach," Tagore Ramoutar, Vertu's Director of Business Development for Japan and Korea. "Vertu users the world over are discerning individuals who are willing to pay a premium for the right experience."
Nokia exited the Japanese market late last year due to disappointing sales, but chose to leave its high-end Vertu brand in the country
