Reviewing Optical Fiber Services to Cut Fixed Costs: Why I Stayed with IIJmio Hikari Over Otegal, andline, and enHikari

Reviewing Internet Plans and Requirements

I consider optimizing fixed costs a bit of a hobby, regularly auditing the subscriptions I currently pay for.

As of May 2026, I use IIJmio for my smartphone's budget SIM, and since 2025, I've been using IIJmio Hikari (apartment plan) for my home internet. The initial "6 months effectively free" campaign had just expired, prompting me to look for a cheaper 1 Gbps, IPv6-compatible fiber-optic connection (Hikari Collabo).

When looking to switch optical fiber providers, it's common to see providers offering "huge cashback campaigns" to lower the effective monthly cost. However, these campaigns often come with complex conditions or require managing a calendar to claim the cashback months later, which increases cognitive load—something I want to avoid. Furthermore, these plans usually have minimum contract periods, forcing you to find another provider once the term is up. Therefore, I focused my search on providers that simply have a low base monthly fee, rather than relying on temporary cashback.

While I am not obsessed with absolute top speeds, IPv6 (IPoE) support is mandatory. With traditional IPv4 (PPPoE), the network often suffers from extreme congestion during peak hours like evenings and weekends, leading to severe speed drops that make even basic web browsing or video streaming a frustrating experience. Even if I don't need "the absolute maximum speed," having a stable, minimally comfortable speed regardless of the time of day is an absolute requirement for shared apartment connections today.

For these reasons, my strict criteria were: Apartment plan, 1 Gbps line, IPv6 support, and a low base monthly fee.

Comparison Background

The IIJmio Hikari apartment plan I currently use costs roughly 4,356 JPY (tax included) per month. However, by bundling it with my IIJmio SIM service, a "mio discount" of 660 JPY is applied every month. This brings my effective monthly cost down to 3,696 JPY.

Using this "3,696 JPY" line as my benchmark, I compared the following three providers based on initial costs, the hassle of cancellation, and long-term operational costs.

Deep Dive into the Options

Based on the official websites as of May 2026, let's take a closer look at the pricing (apartment plans) and specifications of each provider.

Otegal Hikari

The base fee is exceptionally cheap at 3,608 JPY per month, and cancellation procedures can be handled entirely online via their member portal. However, to use the IPv6 option for free, you are required to rent their specific router, which was a slight bottleneck for me. If you prefer using your own high-performance router or want to avoid managing additional rented equipment, this is a point to be cautious about.

andline Hikari SE

The apartment plan is very cheap at 3,500 JPY per month, and the IPv6 option is free. However, they lack a unified member portal, meaning various administrative procedures must be done through individual request forms or inquiry channels. Considering the daily operational friction and the eventual hassle of cancellation, it wasn't a strong enough deciding factor to switch away from IIJmio's bundled setup.

enHikari

The monthly fee is at the lowest tier of 3,520 JPY, and if you are a povo, ahamo, or UQ mobile user, their "Katte-ni Wari" discount applies, bringing the price down by another 110 JPY to 3,410 JPY. While highly attractive, utilizing IPv6 (v6 Plus, etc.) costs an additional 198 JPY per month. The total comes to 3,608 JPY, making it neck-and-neck with IIJmio Hikari (3,696 JPY after discount). Ultimately, I passed on this option due to the lack of an integrated member portal and the associated administrative friction.

Features and Differences (Comparison Table)

Here is a summary comparing the specifications discussed above, along with the baseline IIJmio Hikari plan.

Conclusion: Who Should Choose What

Each of these internet providers has a distinct target audience.

For enHikari

People subscribed to povo, ahamo, or UQ mobile. They can directly benefit from the "Katte-ni Wari" bundle to achieve the absolute lowest class pricing.

For Otegal Hikari / andline Hikari SE

People using budget SIMs other than the above, who want to push their standalone optical fiber base fee to the absolute minimum without being tied to specific smartphone bundle discounts.

For IIJmio Hikari (My Case)

People already using IIJmio's smartphone line who can benefit from the mio discount (-660 JPY). It is also ideal for those who want the convenience of completing all administrative tasks quickly via a web portal and who value the reliability of an established ISP.

Summary

All three providers I reviewed were highly attractive with their low base fees. However, there were minor bottlenecks, such as "requiring a router rental to make IPv6 free" or "concerns about the hassle of phone calls or form inquiries due to the lack of an integrated member portal."

In the end, since my current IIJmio Hikari effectively costs 3,696 JPY thanks to the 660 JPY "mio discount" from my smartphone plan, there was very little difference in the monthly fee. I judged that the slight savings were not worth the time, effort, and administrative fees required to switch providers.

While cutting fixed costs is important, the convenience of a fully-equipped member portal that allows you to "cancel easily online whenever you want," combined with the peace of mind that comes from IIJ's long-standing track record for line quality, are invisible values (costs) that I realized were highly significant during this review.

For more information on optimizing fixed costs like internet bills and maximizing rewards in your daily life, be sure to check out the following articles:

• Reviewing Smartphone Plans (A Child's Smartphone Debut)
• My Stance on Optimizing Daily Reward Rates