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DOCOMO
 
> 58.79m
AU
 
> 33.53m
SOFTBANK
 
> 26.62m
EMOBILE
 
> 3.5m
PHS
 
> 4.1m
TOTAL
 
> 123.04m
OTHERS
W-MODULE:
 
> 5.39m
PREPAY:
 
> 1.27m
BWA (UQ):
 
> 1.16m
TOTAL
 
> 7.82m
Updated 9/7/2011
 
DOCOMO News of 12/1/2011
  DoCoMo denies reports of iPhone release on its network
Thursday, December 1, 2011
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has aggressively denied rumors of a that they had agreed to a deal with Apple in which the iPhone 5 would be launched on its network next summer, following reports on several news sites stating this on December 1st. (Keitai Watch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/10/2011
  NTT DoCoMo to release the "REGZA Phone T-01D" on November 18th
Thursday, November 10, 2011
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced that the "REGZA Phone T-01D" will officially go on sale on November 18th. DoCoMo users can also begin pre-ordering their handset from November 11th and DoCoMo shops nationwide. This Android 2.3 smartphone also support DoCoMo’s dMenu and dMarket services. (Keitai Watch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/7/2011
  DoCoMo and Gakken Holdings team up on an Education business for Smartphones and Tablet PCs
Monday, November 7, 2011
  Summary NTT DoCoMo and Gakken Holdings announced a partnership to promote a new style of education centered around smartphones and Tablet PCs. The companies plan to provide educational materials to children and adults through NTT’s "DoCoMo ZEMI" service and android handsets and tablets. Development is scheduled to begin at the end of November, with the service scheduled to be launched in 2012. (Keitai Watch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/12/2011
  DoCoMo to release GALAXY Tab 10.1 on the 15th, ARROWS Tab on the 19th
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced that it will release the GALAXY Tab 10.1 LTE SC-01D on October 15th and the ARROWS Tab LTE F-01D on October 19th. (Keitai Watch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/20/2011
  NTT DoCoMo partners with Vodafone for sales to multinational corporations
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
  Summary NTT DoCoMo and Vodafone (U.K.) announced a partnership in corporate sales to multinational corporations. DoCoMo also plans to enter a similar partnership with CONEXUS MOBILE ALLIANCE with a press conference scheduled for the 20th in Singapore. (Keitai Watch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/15/2011
  DoCoMo subsidiary issued a preliminary license for Mobile Multimedia Broadcast business
Thursday, September 15, 2011
  Summary The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications announced that NTT DoCoMo subsidiary Japan Mobile Casting has been issued a preliminary business license to broadcast multimedia to mobile devices via the 207.5MHz~222MHz bandwidth. Japan Mobile Casting is currently planning to commence services in April 2012. (Keitai Watch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/8/2011
  NTT DoCoMo aims for one tablet PC per household
Thursday, September 8, 2011
  Summary Announcing the release of their fall line, NTT DoCoMo President Yamada stated the goal of "1 tablet per household". DoCoMo’s first tablets compatible with its extra-high-speed next-generation LTE service, Xi (read Crossy) include the docomo Tablet GALAXY Tab 10.1 LTE SC-01D and the docomo Tablet ARROWS Tab LTE F-01D will go on sale in Japan in October. (Keitai Watch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/31/2011
  DoCoMo allows competitor products to use its flat rate packet service
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
  Summary Following the release of the 008Z on Softbank, its first SIM-lock free phone, earlier this month DoCoMo has decided to allow owners of that handset to utilize their flat rate packet service. When the device is used for tethering with PCs and other devices the service has an upper limit of 10,395 yen. The price for this flat rate service, "Pake Hodai Lite", is 5,460 yen per month. (Keitai Watch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/3/2006
  Japan’s DoCoMo to invest 300 mln dollars in top Philippines telco
Tuesday, January 3, 2006
  Summary Japan’s top mobile telecoms firm NTT DoCoMo is to invest some 300 million dollars in the Philippines top carrier, Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT), President Gloria Arroyo announced. Officials from PLDT, the country’s leading carrier, were not available for comment but local reports here earlier said Japan’s NTT Communications Corp. was planning to sell its shares in PLDT to affiliate DoCoMo. It quoted unnamed sources as saying NTT may even increase its equity interest in PLDT once the latter ventures into third-generation mobile technology or 3G, where DoCoMo has expertise. PLDT’s mobile phone unit Smart Communications Inc was among four Philippine firms that secured 3G wireless licenses from the National Telecommunications Commission. NTT is the second-biggest foreign shareholder in PLDT with a 14.7 percent stake, next to Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd. which has 24 percent. (AFP)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/21/2005
  NTT DoCoMo to Acquire Stake in Fuji Television
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that it has agreed with Fuji Television Network, Inc. (Fuji Television) to acquire 77,000 shares of Fuji Television’s treasury stock (approximately 2.6% of total issued shares) for 20,713,000,000 yen on January 11, 2006. DoCoMo and Fuji Television have been discussing how to link mobile communications and broadcasting. The agreement precedes the launch of "One-segment" terrestrial digital broadcasting on April 1, 2006, which will present new opportunities for linkages with mobile services. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo to Acquire Stake in Fuji Television
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that it has agreed with Fuji Television Network, Inc. (Fuji Television) to acquire 77,000 shares of Fuji Television’s treasury stock (approximately 2.6% of total issued shares) for 20,713,000,000 yen on January 11, 2006. DoCoMo and Fuji Television have been discussing how to link mobile communications and broadcasting. The agreement precedes the launch of "One-segment" terrestrial digital broadcasting on April 1, 2006, which will present new opportunities for linkages with mobile services. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/30/2005
  NTT DoCoMo to Invest in Aplix, Group Share rises to 18%
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that it will acquire 15,000 newly allocated shares, or 14.98%, of software company Aplix Corporation for 12.975 billion yen, or 865,000 yen per share. DoCoMo expects to complete this investment process on December 21, 2005.Aplix develops embedded software, mainly middleware for mobile phones and PCs, as well as markets software. Its Java products are sold under the brand name JBlend. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/26/2005
  NTT DoCoMo "equal weight," target price reduce
Saturday, November 26, 2005
  Summary Analysts at Morgan Stanley maintain their "equal weight" rating on NTT DoCoMo, while reducing their estimates for the company. The target price has been reduced from 218,000 to 210,000. In a research note published this morning, the analysts mention that the company’s ARPU remains healthy, despite the migration from a 2G to a 3G platform. NTT DoCoMo is making consistent progress in its cost cutting efforts, the analysts say. The dissolution of NTT DoCoMo’s capital ties with Dutch telecommunications company, KPN Mobile, would, however, adversely affect the company’s FY2005 earnings, Morgan Stanley adds. The operating income estimate for FY2005 has been reduced from 867.3 billion to 856.7 billion. (newratings.com)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/24/2005
  NTT DoCoMo launches 3G phone for children
Thursday, November 24, 2005
  Summary Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo and its eight regional subsidiaries announced today that they have developed a child-friendly 3G mobile phone, the Foma SA800i, as well as the Imadoco Search location service. The handset is designed to fit a childs hand and can be programmed with up to five phone numbers that the child may call using a direct call button. ’Imadoco Search’ enables parents to monitor a child’s location via mobile phone. The SA800i is primarily designed to help keep children safe, the company said. The handset features a 100-decibel alarm that children can switch on in case of an emergency. When the alarm is activated, the handset will call up to three pre-programmed numbers with a voice message alert at regular intervals until either all numbers answer the call or a password is entered on the childs handset (Digital Media Asia)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/17/2005
  DoCoMo to Purchase China-Made Handsets From NEC to Cut Costs
Thursday, November 17, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., the world’s second- biggest wireless company, may buy cheaper handsets made in China by NEC Corp., its No. 2 supplier, to cut costs as revenue falls. The company is also offering handsets from overseas vendors such as Nokia Oyj and LG Electronics Inc. in the coming year, Chief Financial Officer Yoshiaki Ugaki said in an interview conducted on Nov. 15. Foreign-made phones can be as much as 10,000 yen ($84) cheaper than domestic handsets used on the company’s high-speed network, he said. DoCoMo is preparing for increased competition as the government opens up Japan’s 8.5 trillion yen mobile-phone market for the first time in 12 years. The Tokyo-based company expects falling sales for a second year as it cut call charges to compete against KDDI Corp. "We have to put an extra emphasis on cost cuts,’’ said Ugaki. ``We can’t see any reasons that earnings will recover dramatically in the next year or two as we expect more competition.’’ In addition to Nokia and LG, the world’s biggest and fourth- biggest handset makers, DoCoMo’s foreign handset suppliers are Motorola Inc. and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB. DoCoMo’s biggest domestic vendor is Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/7/2005
  DoCoMo buys stake in Tower
Monday, November 7, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, the largest mobile phone operator in Japan, said Monday that it would buy a 42 percent stake in Tower Records Japan to help increase the use of electronic payment services with its handsets. DoCoMo said it would invest 12.8 billion, or $109 million, for the stake. A company statement did not name the sellers, but Takeshi Natsuno, DoCoMo’s vice president of multimedia services, told reporters that 6.28 billion would be spent on new shares, while 6.51 billion would be used to buy existing shares from investors including Nikko Principal Investments Japan, the largest shareholder in Tower Records. DoCoMo is offering more financial services, including electronic payments, to raise its average sales per customer as revenue from voice calls declines. Like KDDI and Vodafone Group’s Japanese unit, DoCoMo is trying to retain customers and to prepare for measures planned by the government next year to further open up Japan’s 8.5 trillion cellphone market. "This would be the smoothest way to spread ’wallet phones’ among young people," Natsuno said at a news conference in Tokyo. "The Tower Record stores will be a model place to use our new credit payment services." (IHT)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/2/2005
  DoCoMo seeks to invest in Asian mobile operator
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s largest mobile operator, is considering investing in mobile operators in the Asia Pacific region as it looks for new revenue sources beyond its increasingly saturated home market. "We’ve focused on Europe and the United States in the past, but we think there’s growth potential in the Asia Pacific," said Toshinari Kunieda, managing director of DoCoMo’s global business unit, which handles overseas investments. In an interview, Kunieda said DoCoMo hoped to find a large partner that does not yet have a relationship with other Asian rivals such as Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. and Britain’s Vodafone Group Plc in markets that see a lot of Japanese travellers. Such investments would help it increase its global roaming presence in addition to growing revenue. Kunieda declined to comment on specific discussions, but cited China, the Philippines, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan as Asian countries that are most travelled by Japanese. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/31/2005
  NTT DoCoMo Unveils Fami-wari Wide Discount for Children, Seniors
Monday, October 31, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., along with its eight regional units in Japan, will begin the Fami-wari Wide discount plan for children through junior high school age and seniors from age 60 from December 1, 2005 and start accepting applications the same day. The company said the new plan applies to customers using either a 2G mova or 3G FOMA phone under the Ichinen Discount plan for contacts at least one year long. The Fami-wari Wide discount only applies to one phone per subscriber. When used in combination with a Family Discount plan, children and seniors will pay a basic monthly fee of 1,575 yen (tax included). Without the Family Discount plan, users will pay a basic monthly fee of 2,362 yen (tax included). Voice calls will cost 26.25 yen per 30 seconds under the plan (tax included). (ITNewsonline)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/26/2005
  DoCoMo to beat 05/06 operating profit f’cast-paper
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s top mobile operator, will likely beat its 2005/06 operating profit forecast as fewer users cancelled subscriptions and revenues per user recovered, the Nihon Keizai business daily said on Wednesday. DoCoMo is expected to post a 6 percent year-on-year rise in group operating profit to about 830 billion yen ($7.21 billion) for the year to next March, compared with the firm’s previous projection of 810 billion yen, up 3.3 percent, the paper said. That compares with a consensus of 840.93 billion yen, according to 21 analysts polled by Reuters Estimates. A DoCoMo spokesman declined to comment ahead of the announcement of its results on Oct. 28. In July, DoCoMo reported an unexpected 4 percent rise in first-quarter operating profit and said the rate of customers leaving its service fell to a record low of 0.8 percent. DoCoMo is also benefitting from a higher-than-expected average monthly revenue per user in the first quarter, the newspaper said. For the six months ended Sept. 30, DoCoMo likely will post an operating profit of about 550 billion yen, higher than 545.4 billion yen in the year-ago period, the report said. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/24/2005
  NTT DoCoMo Ends Capital Tie-Up With KPN
Monday, October 24, 2005
  Summary Japan’s top mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. said Monday it was ending its capital tie-up with KPN Mobile of the Netherlands while continuing to license its i-mode Internet-linking mobile phone technology to the Dutch telecommunications company. NTT DoCoMo will sell its 2.16 percent stake in KPN Mobile and the right to use technology related to i-mode to parent company KPN for euro5 million (US$5.9 million), the Tokyo-based company said in a statement. NTT DoCoMo will record a gain of about 40 billion yen (US$345 million; euro289 million) for its securities sale but will also record an operating expense of 14 billion yen (US$121 million; euro101 million). Company spokesman Masaki Okamura said other details of the deal could not be disclosed, but NTT DoCoMo is set to announce earnings on Friday, which will reflect the deal. (AP)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/20/2005
  Let Your Finger do the Talking
Thursday, October 20, 2005
  Summary DoCoMo, the Japanese cellular service provider, has developed a ring that turns your finger into a phone receiver. The company calls the ring Ubi-Wa, that means "finger ring" or "speak by finger" in Japanese. The ring works by converting speech into vibrations. To use DoCoMo’s ring, a user has to put the finger into his/her ear. The ring converts speech sounds to vibrations that travel down the bone and into the ear canal, that turns them back into intelligible speech. The phone is about the size of a quail’s egg and is light-weight. The company said the bulk of the weight comes from the battery. DoCoMo is continuing the development of the ring, though as it shrinks, it may be too small to sport functioning buttons. The solution is to tap out pre-defined rhythms with your thumb, and the finger that is wearing the ring. Each unique rhythm carries out a different function called UbiButton. The phone also supports Bluetooth and according to a report, in noisy places where you cannot hear who you are calling, you simply place the Ubi-Wa bearing finger in the ear, and it does the job for you. (Techtree)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/19/2005
  DoCoMo Unveils Walkie-Talkie Phones
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s largest mobile operator, on Wednesday unveiled a new line of high-speed phones with a walkie-talkie feature that was first made popular in the United States. DoCoMo said its winter lineup of six 3G (third-generation) phones would include the function known as "push-to-talk," which lets users talk to a group of people at the same time with the push of a button rather than dialing a phone number. Telecoms operators worldwide see the feature as a potential new source of revenue in increasingly saturated markets. The feature has allowed U.S. mobile operator Nextel to gain a loyal following of business customers and report one of the U.S. industry’s highest average revenues per user. Both KDDI Corp. and Vodafone K.K., Japan’s No. 2 and No. 3 mobile operators, are also expected to launch phones with push-to-talk in coming months. DoCoMo said it planned to target both consumers and business users with the new service, which it dubbed "Push Talk." The service will cost five yen ($0.043) per "push" or 1,000 yen per month under an all-you-can-use plan. Users can speak to up to 20 people at the same time under an upgraded plan that costs 2,000 yen per month. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/10/2005
  Mowave Launches GAY.COM Mobile i-mode Site on O2 UK
Monday, October 10, 2005
  Summary Mobile content provider Mowave announces the launch of the GAY.COM community mobile portal on 02s upcoming i-mode content menu in the United Kingdom. The addition of the GAY.COM mobile service on O2 i-mode will be Mowaves third GAY.COM launch in the United Kingdom, adding to the GAY.COM services Mowave currently operates on Vodafone Live! and Orange. The combined three services will reach an estimated 75% of UK wireless content consumers; making the GAY.COM mobile brand the largest combined online and mobile gay content service in the country. (Mowave)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/7/2005
  NTT DoCoMo gains net 124,800 users in September
Friday, October 7, 2005
  Summary The company said it had 49.904 million customers at the end of September on a preliminary basis. The number of subscribers to its third-generation cellular phone service rose by 891,800 on a net basis to 16.770 million. The number of its 2G customers fell by a net 767,000 to 33.134 million. (CBS Marketwatch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/29/2005
  Could DoCoMo Buy O2? Don’t Hold Your Breath
Thursday, September 29, 2005
  Summary Could NTT DoCoMo buy O2, ponders Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. Says the deal sounds nice, but the Japanese company is unlikely to be a serious candidate. Notes previous forays into Europe/US have destroyed value, there is a lack of synergies, and its focus is on Asia. Also may be too expensive. Says speculation does highlight the attractiveness of O2 to potential buyers, and the idea that DoCoMo could enter the fray may make serious bid candidates move more quickly. Rates O2 at buy, DoCoMo at sell. (Newratings.com)  
 
   
  Japan’s NTT DoCoMo eyes Asia business links
Thursday, September 29, 2005
  Summary Nakamura said in a news conference that the company may buy a small stake in an Asian alliance partner if needed, but "it won’t be very large in value terms." NTT DoCoMo will aim for possible alliances in Asia in order to spread its i-mode mobile Internet service in the region. "In the vast market of Asia, what is important is how we can build alliances, not having control" of partners, Nakamura said. He added that there is no set formula for business tie-ups, and his company will decide how to team up with new partners on a case-by-case basis. (CBS Marketwatch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/28/2005
  Japan’s Resona eyes selling JCB stake; NTT DoCoMo could be on
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
  Summary Resona Holdings Inc is considering selling most of its stake in JCB Co, the leading credit card company in Japan, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, without citing any sources. NTT DoCoMo Inc is among the potential buyers, the newspaper said. The Nikkei said Resona is seeking to reduce its interest in JCB from about 15 pct to approximately 5 pct. A 10 pct stake in JCB is considered to be worth several billion yen, the newspaper said. It is highly likely that Resona’s shareholdings will be divided into smaller stakes to be divided among several buyers, including NTT DoCoMo and companies in the transportation and other non-banking fields, the report said. Resona is considering reducing its stake in JCB as part of its plan to reinforce its business alliance with Credit Saison Co Ltd, Japan’s largest issuer of retailer-affiliated credit cards, the Nikkei said. Resona forged a capital and business partnership with Credit Saison in 2004. (Forbes)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo FOMA P901iTV Digital TV Mobile Phone
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announces today the 3G FOMA P901iTV, DoCoMo’s first mobile handset to receive terrestrial digital broadcasting signals, in addition to conventional analog signals. Japanese broadcasters will start mobile digital broadcasting in April 2006. In anticipation for the availability of digital terrestrial TV, NTT developed the P901iTV phone. The P901iTV’s main display will be a 2.5 inch, wide LCD screen. More than 2.5 hours of continuous viewing will be possible for digital TV programs. The TV function will be activated by twisting the screen. An antenna-embedded earphone will enhance TV signal reception. (I4U News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/21/2005
  Strong DoCoMo-LG Ties Annoy Samsung
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
  Summary Samsung Electronics is keeping a close eye on LG Electronics and Japanese i-mode service provider, NTT DoCoMo strengthening ties. LG announced in June the Korean handset maker and DCoMo jointly developed a dual mode 3G FOMA phone and then global partners providing DoCoMos i-mode service decided on the joint procurement of LGs L342i. Saying it rejected DoCoMos approach for cell phone supply due to disagreement on price and for fear of information leakage, Samsung seems unhappy about LGs enhancing cooperation with DoCoMo. Samsungs PR official said, "We are actively providing i-mode phone, even though not in Japanese market. Samsungs strong drive for i-mode phone appears to be the efforts to impede LGs move forward. Samsung is providing i-mode service phone in the global market including Australia. Meanwhile, DoCoMo announced it chose LG, Samsung and NEC as handset providers for i-mode service starting in Russia on September 15. LG provides L342i, while Samsung S342i and S410i. (Telecoms Korea)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/14/2005
  DoCoMo plans to offer info capture service
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
  Summary Leading Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo announced today it plans to offer an information capture function called ToruCa in its "Osaifu Keitai", handsets equipped with contactless IC cards, once compatible handsets are released this winter. ToruCa will enable users to get information by passing their handset in front of a dedicated reader/writer installed at restaurants, theaters, music stores, arcades and other establishments. Information obtained from readers/writers will also be available at i-mode sites and users will be able to conduct customizable searches to receive the information they are looking for. The information will be exchangeable with other users of compatible ToruCa phones. The service have no basic fee, users will only be charged their usual data rate when getting information from i-mode sites. (Reuters)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo explores offering video content
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s leading mobile carrier, is exploring the possibility of offering video content as it looks for new revenue to run over its data network, a company executive said on Tuesday. The company has pushed its phone-based Internet service in the last five years and was also experimenting with other Web-related services, but has been muted on the video content arena that some industry players see as a potential growth area. NTT DoCoMo has no immediate plans to go into actual creation of broadcasting content, but rather would use its network as a conduit to provide such programmes to its users, said Kiyoyuki Tsujimura, the company’s executive vice president of products and services. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/9/2005
  NTT DoCoMo Adopts Macromedia FlashCast Technology
Friday, September 9, 2005
  Summary Macromedia, Inc. (Nasdaq:MACR) today announced that Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo, Inc. will adopt Macromedia FlashCast(TM) technology as the infrastructure for i-channel, a news and information service launched today. Subscribers to i-channel will automatically receive content delivered to their phones, such as news, weather, entertainment reports, sports, and horoscopes. By pushing the i-channel button users can select the channel they want to view. The service will be launched concurrently with FOMA(R) 701i series, which are mid-range 3G handsets developed specifically for NTT DoCoMo by a variety of OEM partners. "Since the 2003 launch of DoCoMo Flash-enabled handsets, there has been tremendous growth in the mobile ecosystem in Japan," said Al Ramadan, executive vice president and general manager of mobile and devices, Macromedia. "We’re pleased to see NTT DoCoMo build on their success with the Flash(R) Platform by powering the i-channel service using FlashCast." (BusinessWire)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/8/2005
  NTT DoCoMo Demoes Communication Between Smartcard and Car Navigation System
Thursday, September 8, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. demonstrated a new framework for purchasing content for a car navigation system by using a mobile phone equipped with the "FeliCa" contactless smartcard function at the "PDA/Mobile Solution Fair 2005" held in Tokyo on September 2, 2005. The demonstrated framework includes four components: a pre-distributed DVD with stored content such as maps and music; a car navigation system installed with software that enables the content stored in the DVD based on the purchased license; a FeliCa reader/writer connected to the car navigation system; and a FeliCa-equipped mobile phone. To purchase content, users perform the following steps: First, the user downloads the content license to the mobile phone by utilizing the "i-appli" download service and purchases the license; next, the license is transmitted from the mobile phone to the FeliCa reader/writer; then, the content stored in the DVD becomes available in the car navigation system. A demonstrator from NTT DoCoMo said that "commercialization is not scheduled." (Nikkei)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/2/2005
  Goodbye i-mode, hello FeliCa
Friday, September 2, 2005
  Summary It’s quite shocking when a senior manager at a major Japanese wireless operator points out that i-mode is basically pass. The words weren’t as severe as that, but the executive - from one of DoCoMo’s competitors - asserts that DoCoMo’s wireless data strategy no longer focuses on the traditional perception of i-mode as a platform for accessing the Internet with a mobile phone. No, i-mode isn’t exactly dead because it continues to contribute a significant part of DoCoMo’s ARPU (some 26% for the quarter ending June 30, 2005). While the actual amount of ARPU from i-mode (2G and 3G) is down about 7%, the decline is consistent with the overall drop in revenue per user. DoCoMo’s FeliCa service, which allows i-mode handsets to pay for things, is the company’s fastest growing business. In less than a year since its launch in August 2004, over five million FeliCa-enabled users have signed up. Between February and April, the number of FeliCa transactions doubled from 320,000 to 690,000 and the trend is likely to accelerate. So while traditional i-mode services offer a steady revenue stream, FeliCa is certainly looking like the new growth opportunity. (TelecomAsia.net)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/31/2005
  DoCoMo to keep people in touch in disasters
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will introduce a new system in 2006 to separately restrict voice communications and packet transmissions through mobile phones for its FOMA high-speed third-generation service in an attempt to enable its users to communicate with others in disasters, The Yomiuri Shimbun learned Wednesday. Under the new service, the company will not restrict packet transmissions through e-mails or emergency message services and enable its FOMA mobile phone users to more easily reach their relatives and friends through these services to confirm their safety at the time of disaster. Packet transmission involves sending and receiving information in tiny bits of data. Voice communications block a communication circuit until the conversation is over, but a lot of data can be sent through packet transmission at once. The company introduced a system to separately restrict voice and packet transmissions to its mova second-generation service in 2004. The company decided to adopt the same measure for FOMA because the number of users of the high-speed service has increased to about 30 percent of the total number of DoCoMo users. (Yomiuri)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/30/2005
  DoCoMo Sony Ericsson Radiden Mobile Phone and Radio
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
  Summary DoCoMo releases in Japan the Sony Ericsson Radiden mobile phone. The Sony Ericsson Radiden will be available for residents of Tokyo and Osaka starting on August 30th. This handset has a hardware controlled radio functionality, meaning it can be operated without going through the mobile phone user interface. The channel selection buttons are on the backside of the phone. The radio phone supports AM, FM and TV audio channels. (I4U News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/17/2005
  DoCoMo’s FOMA mobile services disrupted for 5 hours
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
  Summary The core parts of NTT DoCoMo Inc’s third-generation mobile services were disrupted for almost five hours from 2:49 p.m. Tuesday across a wide area covering Tokyo and nine prefectures in Honshu, Japan’s largest main island, the mobile phone service provider said. The voice conversation portion of the high-speed, high-capacity data and voice call services, known under the FOMA service brand, returned to normal at 7:32 p.m., the company said. (Japan Today)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/12/2005
  NTT DoCoMo to Release Mobile Phone Handset Able to Slow Down Speakers Voice Speed
Friday, August 12, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. will release a mobile phone handset able to slow down speakers voice speed on the phone in August 2005. The key targeted users are the elderly. The speed converter technology used in the handset slows down speakers voice speed up to 0.7x, so the listener can feel like that the speakers dialogue goes slowly. Users can start the function by pushing the camera button on a handsets side during a phone call. The technology does not slow down the voice part, but shortens the part without sound between phrases. When a time lag between the original voice and the converted voice exceeds one second, the function automatically stops. (TechOn)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/1/2005
  Japan’s NTT DoCoMo seeks to lower 3G procurement costs
Monday, August 1, 2005
  Summary A spokesman at Japan’s largest mobile phone service company said it is considering expanding procurement sources among both Japanese and foreign handset makers. In June, NTT DoCoMo and South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc. (066570.SE) agreed to jointly develop a dual-mode 3G FOMA handset that works on both W-CDMA third-generation and GSM second-generation mobile phone service networks, aiming at commercialization in the spring of 2006. The new handset will be a dual-mode handset capable of international roaming and equipped for all basic FOMA functions, including videophone and i-mode mobile internet access, NTT DoCoMo and LG Electronics have said. The NTT DoCoMo spokesman also said it is planning to launch a new FOMA handset developed by Nokia Corp. (NOK) of Finland sometime during the second half of this fiscal year through March 2006. (CBS Marketwatch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/28/2005
  JR East and NTT DoCoMo to Consider Developing Common Infrastructure for Suica e-Money and Osaifu-Kei
Thursday, July 28, 2005
  Summary East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (DoCoMo) announced today that they have signed a basic agreement to discuss joint development and management of common infrastructure for JR East’s Suica e-money and DoCoMo’s upcoming "Osaifu-Keitai" credit card service, both based on FeliCa smart card technology. Suica is JR East’s IC card for railway travel and shopping, while Osaifu-Keitai refers to DoCoMo mobile phones equipped with contactless IC cards that can serve as credit cards and perform other useful functions. Under the agreement, the two companies will consider the development of a reader/writer compatible with both companies’ services and the creation and management of a common center that connects the reader/writers with various settlement systems. A common reader/writer and settlement center will encourage retail shops to offer the services because they will only need a single reader/writer, saving space and reducing costs. The companies hope this will increase the number of service users by allowing shoppers the option of using either Suica e-money or the Osaifu-Keitai credit card service. The companies feel that working together will promote their services more effectively than if they were to act separately. JR East and DoCoMo aim to reach the final agreement within 2005. (Noticias.info)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/18/2005
  Sun, NTT DoCoMo plan new cellular Java platform
Monday, July 18, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo and Sun Microsystems have begun work on a new Java platform for cellular handsets. The work, which began last year but was first revealed two weeks ago at Sun’s JavaOne conference in San Francisco, is aimed at refreshing the mobile Java platform for today’s more advanced handsets and applications. It could also be promoted as a cross-industry standard, the companies said in interviews. The work, which is taking place under the name Star project, has some ambitious targets. Chief among those is bringing DoCoMo’s Java platform, which first appeared commercially in 2001, up to date, said Takeshi Natsuno, senior vice president of multimedia services at NTT DoCoMo. Java is running on more than 700 million handsets worldwide, according to U.K. research company Ovum, but not all handsets run the same version. Despite its "write once, run anywhere" roots, Java is fractured in the cellular space because carriers and handset makers have all tweaked the technology to meet their needs. This means developers must often customize their Java applications, or "applets," for different handsets, creating extra work. NTT DoCoMo’s Java platform, called DoJa, is one of the most successful, thanks in part to the operator’s lead in wireless Internet technologies. However, it is available only to DoCoMo and its handful of overseas partners. Other carrier-specific platforms exist, such as Vodafone Group’s VFX and China United Telecommunications’ (China Unicom) UniJa. Many other carriers use the MIDP (Mobile Information Device profile) platform, which has been standardized but can still differ from handset to handset. (Arnnet)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/14/2005
  DoCoMo Says Cell Service Providers Should Build Own Networks
Thursday, July 14, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s largest cell- phone service provider, said new entrants into the market should build their own networks to compete, instead of asking DoCoMo for roaming access. ``The basis of competition in this industry is coverage area,’’ Kunio Ishikawa, a DoCoMo senior executive vice president, said in an interview broadcast today. ``Building coverage, which determines a customer’s carrier selection, is strategic, labor- intensive and is a risk. The new carriers should fundamentally provide their own network.’’ After the Japanese government said in June it will open up the cell-phone market to competition for the first time in 12 years, potential new entrants Softbank Corp. and eAccess Ltd. asked existing carriers for network access to give them equal footing to compete nationwide. Japan will allocate frequencies for high-speed mobile phone services to as many as two new providers, which would rival DoCoMo, KDDI Corp. and Vodafone K.K. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/11/2005
  NTT DoCoMo Prototypes Connect-Free Battery Charger
Monday, July 11, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has announced that it has developed a prototype connect-free battery charger for FOMA cellphones in collaboration with Panasonic Mobile Communications. When commercialized, the battery charger will enable users to charge a FOMA handset battery only by placing the handset on it. (Nikkei)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/6/2005
  Yahoo launches cell phone shopping in Japan
Wednesday, July 6, 2005
  Summary Yahoo Japan has opened a version of its shopping portal for cell phone Internet users, the company said Monday. Mobile Yahoo Shopping can be accessed from all three of Japan’s major wireless Internet services and brings together about 2,000 merchants and 2 million items for sale, according to estimates from Yahoo. Like the company’s PC shopping site, users of the cell phone version can search or browse for goods and retailers by category. Online shopping from PCs is popular in Japan, but it has yet to take off in a big way from mobile devices. In a recent government survey, 89 percent of respondents said they shopped online using their PC, versus only 18 percent who shopped online with a cell phone. Satisfaction levels with online shopping are much lower among cell phone users, with ease of use and security among the biggest complaints. (InfoWorld)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/5/2005
  Ntt DoCoMo to Expand Foma International Roaming And Videophone Services
Tuesday, July 5, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and its eight regional subsidiaries announced that they will expand FOMA 3G international roaming and videophone services in Europe and Asia. Starting from July 12, WORLD WING and WORLD WALKER users in Seoul, Korea will be able to use the FOMA N900iG handset for voice communications and accessing i-mode. Until now, a dedicated phone was required to use roaming services in Korea. Users will also be able to send/receive i-mode mail under the same address that they use in Japan. Germany will join the lineup of countries where DoCoMo users can enjoy videophone roaming services, followed by Italy on July 26. In addition, DoCoMo has added the following operators to its roaming partners in the countries where DoCoMo is already providing roaming services. (Forbes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/1/2005
  Japan’s DoCoMo, Vodafone to start broadband mobile services in ’06
Friday, July 1, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc and Vodafone KK plan to start in 2006 a broadband mobile service that will increase the maximum speed for data transfer by around 10 times to about 3.6 megabits per second (mbps), the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported without citing sources. The new service will boost the downstream data speed by 10 times, while keeping the upstream speed unchanged at 384 kilobits per second. At this speed, it will take only around 20 seconds to download a four-to-five minute song, the business daily Nikkei said. DoCoMo will adopt the HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) international standard, the first to do so, the Nikkei said. Vodafone also plans to upgrade its service using the same technology. The faster service will enable mobile phone customers to download images as fast as on a personal computer. (Forbes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/30/2005
  Sun, NTT DoCoMo Team On Java For Mobile Data
Thursday, June 30, 2005
  Summary Sun Microsystems Inc. has announced an agreement with NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s largest mobile operator, to deliver a next-generation mobile data services platform based on open-standard Java technologCodenamed Star Project, this collaboration extends a long relationship between the companies and leverages their expertise in enabling and deploying mass-market, Java technology-based mobile data services. "Java technology has played a significant role in improving mobile data services in Japan and around the world," said Alan Brenner, vice president, Client Systems Group, Sun Microsystems Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.), in a statement. "Sun’s relationship with DoCoMo advances Java technology’s ability to empower consumers and enterprise organizations by delivering exciting new services and information directly into their hands." An estimated 56 percent of Japan’s mobile phone subscribers use DoCoMo’s network and services. (Information Week)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/29/2005
  NTT DoCoMo to Acquire Stake in Telargo, US Mobile Assets Management Company
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that the company has signed a joint venture and share subscription agreement with ULTRA d.o.o., a Slovenia based European technology company. Under the agreement, DoCoMo will acquire a 49% equity stake in Telargo Inc., ULTRA’s wholly-owned U.S. mobile assets management service provider, for U.S. $28.6 million (approximately 3.1 billion yen). (Noticias.info)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/27/2005
  KT denies report DoCoMo in talks to buy KTF stake
Monday, June 27, 2005
  Summary South Korea’s top fixed-line and broadband operator, KT Corp. , denied on Monday a media report that it was in talks with Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc. over the sale of a stake in its mobile unit KTF Co. Ltd. Online news provider MoneyToday (www.moneytoday.co.kr) quoted unnamed industry sources as saying on Monday KT was talking to Japan’s top mobile operator to sell a 20 percent stake in KTF. "The report is groundless," KT spokesman Huh Kun said by telephone. KT is the top shareholder in KTF, the country’s second-largest mobile operator, with a 48.7 percent stake and said late last year it was considering acquiring the mobile unit as the merger would fit with a trend of integration between fixed-line and wireless carriers. KT carries 94 percent of local call market and half of the broadband market in South Korea, while KTF controls 32 percent of mobile market. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/21/2005
  DoCoMo Says No Decision Made on Letting Competitors Use Network
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s largest cell- phone service provider, said it hasn’t made a decision on letting other carriers use its network in rural areas, responding to a newspaper report. DoCoMo may share its mobile phone network in less-populated areas with competitors, the Nihon Keizai newspaper reported earlier, without saying where it got the information. Softbank Corp. and other companies that seek to enter the mobile phone market have asked existing carriers for roaming access to give them equal footing to compete, the newspaper said. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
  Cellphone firms join up on tool for signal
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
  Summary Does your cellphone drop off the radar in most basement locales? Help may be on the way. A new "repeater" device that enables cellphones to receive signals underground has been jointly developed by the four major mobile phone companies: NTT DoCoMo Inc., KDDI Corp., Vodafone KK and Tu-Ka Cellular Tokyo Inc.The repeater-which covers all cellphones except third-generation phones of NTT DoCoMo and Vodafone-will go on sale this summer in the Kanto region. The estimated cost, including installation, is about 700,000 yen. (Asahi)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/17/2005
  DoCoMo Focuses on China to Develop Future Cell Phone Technology
Friday, June 17, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., the world’s second- largest cell-phone operator, will invest more than $2.5 million a year to develop high-speed, fourth-generation mobile communication technology in China, a company executive said. Tokyo-based DoCoMo is already researching a faster technology for the market, even though China has yet to award licenses for third-generation service to cell phone operators. The service allows faster downloads of data and images from the Internet. "China is the world’s largest mobile phone market,’’ Masahiro Minomo, head of NTT DoCoMo’s research center in Beijing, said in an interview. ``We hope to contribute to China’s standardization of 4G and `beyond 3G’ technology.’’ (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/15/2005
  LG Elec, DoCoMo to Jointly Make 3G Phones for Japan
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
  Summary LG Electronics Inc. said on Monday it will jointly develop third-generation mobile phones with top Japanese mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc., giving it a foothold in a market foreign firms have struggled to enter. The new handsets, scheduled for release in Japan early next year, will work on both high-speed 3G networks and GSM/GPRS networks -- second-generation standards widely used in Europe and Asia -- allowing them to be used outside Japan as well. "Not only does this agreement pave the way for our entry into the Japanese market, it would further bolster our position as a global leader in the 3G market," LG said in a statement. LG will be the third foreign handset firm to provide mobile phones to DoCoMo. The Japanese carrier aims to launch 3G phones made by Nokia and Motorola Inc. later this year. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/2/2005
  Cellphones can be used as fixed-line phones at home: NTT DoCoMo
Thursday, June 2, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s largest mobile phone service provider, will enable subscribers to use their handsets as fixed-line phones at home, President Masao Nakamura said Tuesday. The new service, expected to begin next year, will allow subscribers to combine their fixed-line and mobile phone numbers. Usage of cellphones at home will be charged at the same rates as fixed-line phones, which are cheaper than those for cellphones. While a number of cellphone operators have started similar services for corporate subscribers, NTT DoCoMo will be the first to offer the service for home use. With the new service, people can use their handsets as fixed-line phones in their houses and as cellphones outside, Nakamura said. KDDI Corp., NTT DoCoMo’s principal rival, is also set to begin a home-use service. The new service is made possible by combining a fixed-line service with a wireless local area network, or LAN, communications system. (Kyodo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/30/2005
  Japan Mobile Makers Face Challenges at Home, Abroad
Monday, May 30, 2005
  Summary Not only have Japanese mobile phone makers’ global ambitions been dashed, but they may soon face challenges at home as foreign firms compete with cutting-edge camera phones, mobile Web access and 3G handsets. Japanese makers had long dreamed of headlines about corporate successes from China to Europe and beyond. But nowadays stories are detailing their departures from key foreign markets. Toshiba Corp., for instance, pulled out of China, and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. led a retreat from Europe after failing to compete successfully with Nokia and other global giants. "They may be thinking that as long as they have the domestic market, all is well. But companies like Nokia and Motorola Inc. will soon be coming in," said IDC analyst Michito Kimura. (Reurers)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/27/2005
  Japan’s NTT DoCoMo to halt development of 2G handsets
Friday, May 27, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc will halt development of new 2G (second-generation) cellular phone handsets after about two new models are released this year, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, without citing sources. Panasonic Mobile Communications Co and others that co-develop handsets with DoCoMo have already halted R&D operations for the products, the business daily said. With the move, NTT DoCoMo aims to speed up transfer to its FOMA 3G service, it said. While some 92 pct of customers at rival KDDI Corp are subscribers to the firm’s au 3G service, FOMA users accounted for just 25 pct of DoCoMo’s overall customers as of the end of April, it said. DoCoMo also plans to double handset suppliers to about 10 to boost competition and bring down prices, it said. (Forbes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/19/2005
  NTT DoCoMo launches series of 3G mobile-wallet phones
Thursday, May 19, 2005
  Summary Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo, Inc. is developing the 3G FOMA 901iS series, five handsets equipped for mobile-wallet e-money, ticketing and other mobile smart-card functions. DoCoMo expects the new series to fuel the continued nationwide expansion of convenient mobile-wallet services. The 901iS is also expected to further boost the popularity of handsets equipped with FeliCa IC card technology, which have sold more than 3.34 million units to date. The 901iS is DoCoMo’s first series in which all models are equipped for mobile-wallet functions. Approximately 20,000 stores are currently offering mobile-wallet services in Japan. The five 901iS handsets are equipped with several security features to prevent malicious use. In the event that a 901iS phone is misplaced, for example, the owner can call a designated phone number to lock the phone remotely. It can also be programmed to lock automatically if left unused for a specified period. In addition, it can be locked manually by simply pushing a button. (Geekzone)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/16/2005
  DoCoMo Ups Profit F’cast on Hutchison 3G Share Sale
Monday, May 16, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s top mobile operator, on Thursday raised its group net profit forecast by 7.2 percent to 533 billion yen ($5.04 billion) for this year, helped by gains from the sale of its shares in a joint venture with Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. DoCoMo said it would post a non-operating profit of about 62 billion yen in the year to March 2006 from the sale of its 20 percent stake in the venture, Hutchison 3G UK Holdings Ltd. Hutchison Whampoa had agreed last year to buy DoCoMo’s stake for 120 million pounds ($224.8 million) -- a near 90 percent loss for DoCoMo on its original investment. In October, Hutchison satisfied 80 million pounds of that by transferring to DoCoMo a stake in Hutchison Telecommunications International during HTIL’s IPO. Hutchison said earlier this week it was speeding up the buy-out of the UK 3G mobile phone business from DoCoMo and Dutch carrier KPN NV, which holds 15 percent, in a move that would generate an accounting gain and bolster earnings this year. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/10/2005
  15% jump in profit at DoCoMo
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo said on Tuesday that its annual net profit rose 15 percent from the year before, mostly from the sale of its stake in AT&T Wireless, but it warned that earnings were likely to drop 33 percent this year as competition intensifies. DoCoMo reported a net profit of 747.56 billion, or $7.1 billion, for the year that ended on March 31, up from 650 billion the year before. Sales fell 4 percent, to 4.84 trillion. (IHT)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/28/2005
  KDDI Profit Up Slightly, Sees Small Decline
Thursday, April 28, 2005
  Summary Japan’s KDDI Corp. reported a small rise in annual operating profit on Thursday as demand for its mobile service offset a weak fixed-line business, but said earnings would decline slightly this business year. The nation’s second-largest mobile operator said it expected double-digit growth from its main mobile phone unit, au (pronounced AY-U), in the year just started, but it would not be enough to compensate for an increase in marketing costs to sell its new discount fixed-line service called MetalPlus. KDDI forecast a 2.4 percent decline in operating profit to 289 billion yen ($2.73 billion) for the year started April 1, below market expectations of 310.4 billion yen, according to a poll of 20 analysts by Reuters Estimates. It expects total sales to rise about 1.9 percent to 2.98 trillion yen. KDDI’s main mobile phone unit, au, has enjoyed strong demand in recent years thanks to aggressive data pricing plans, attractive new phones and innovative services such as music downloads. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/27/2005
  Japan’s DoCoMo to Invest in SMFG Credit Card Unit
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will invest 98 billion yen ($923.5 million) in Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc.’s credit card unit to expand its mobile payment services, the two companies said on Wednesday. DoCoMo, Japan’s largest mobile operator, will take a 34 percent stake in Sumitomo Mitsui Card Co. Ltd., the nation’s second-largest credit card firm and a leading Visa card issuer, as the two firms develop a service that will let consumers use their phones to make credit purchases. "This is a completely new sector for DoCoMo, and is part of our aim to move into areas where we are not so dependent on communication usage," said DoCoMo President and Chief Executive Masao Nakamura at a news conference. "Our entry into the credit card business will be a turning point for us." The partnership between DoCoMo, which has about 48 million customers, and Sumitomo Mitsui, Japan’s third-largest banking group, follows DoCoMo’s launch last year of its "wallet phones." The wallet phones, containing Sony Corp.’s FeliCa smart chip, are ultimately intended to replace cash, credit cards, identification cards and electronic plane or train tickets. For now, users can add money to the phones, with which they can make small purchases. They can also add store membership cards. East Japan Railway Co. plans to add a train pass capability starting next year. Yoshifumi Nishikawa, president and chief executive of SMFG, said he hoped the partnership would increase credit card usage among younger consumers in a country where less than 10 percent of purchases are made by credit card, compared with more than twice that in the United States. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/21/2005
  DoCoMo in talks to link credit cards and phones
Thursday, April 21, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo is in talks with Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and JCB about investing in their credit card businesses in a step forward for the cellular companys vision of integrating mobile communications with financial services. Japans largest mobile phone operator is looking to pay about Y100bn ($938m) for a 33.4 per cent stake in SMFGs 100 per cent-owned card business, Mitsui Sumitomo Card, Japans number two credit card operator, and a smaller stake in JCB, the countrys number one card provider. DoCoMo is aiming to conclude a deal this month but negotiations have been complicated by the need to balance the interests of the two card companies, a person familiar with the situation said. While DoCoMo is keen to take a considerable stake in both, the presence of several investors in JCB means the mobile operators investment in that company is likely to remain less than 10 per cent, he said. Masao Nakamura, DoCoMo president, has emphasised the need to diversify revenue streams away from mobile traffic to fee-based services and has identified financial services as an attractive source of future income. The outlook for the companys core mobile communications business is gloomy, with a saturated market forcing operators to cut their rates. DoCoMo is forecasting a 5 per cent drop in revenues to Y4,820bn and a 25 per cent decline in operating profits to Y830bn for the year ended March 2005. (Financial Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/20/2005
  DoCoMo, SMFG in Card Partnership Talks-Sources
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s largest mobile operator, is in final talks to take a large stake in the credit card unit of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. to expand its mobile payment services, company sources said. DoCoMo is also in talks with JCB Co., Japan’s largest credit card company, for a similar but smaller deal, the sources said. Sumitomo Mitsui Card Co. Ltd. is Japan’s second-largest credit card company and a leading Visa card issuer in Japan with about 12.8 million customers. A partnership with Sumitomo Mitsui (SMFG), Japan’s third-largest banking group, would allow DoCoMo, which has about 48 million customers, to further delve into financial services following the launch last year of its "wallet phone" service. The wallet phones, containing Sony Corp.’s FeliCa smart chip, are ultimately intended to replace cash, credit cards, identification cards and electronic plane or train tickets. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/15/2005
  DoCoMo Unveils Motorola Tri-Band 3G Smartphone
Friday, April 15, 2005
  Summary DoCoMo has partnered with Motorola to roll-out a hybrid Foma/PDA handset with global roaming, full Internet browsing, PC mail and wireless LAN access. Launched today at a low key Tokyo press conference, the new M1000 [.jpg image] is aimed squarely at Japanese business users looking to integrate a lot of functionality into one pocket-sized package. DoCoMo has dumped both i-mode and its new Felica applications to make room for a tri-band system (W-CDMA, GSM and GPRS) and Internet access via Opera’s 7.5 browser. The company’s trophy handset opens Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint programs, and PDF files, allowing multiple e-mail functions including POP and IMAP e-mail and (Wow!) compatible with 80211.b Wi-Fi. While equipped with pre-requisite Bluetooth compatibility it is not loaded with DoCoMo’s flagship product, i-mode access. (WWJ)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/14/2005
  DoCoMo to enhance ISP service for FOMA
Thursday, April 14, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced the forthcoming launch of mopera U, an advanced mobile ISP service for FOMA subscribers who connect to the Web via a PC, PDA or DoCoMo’s new business-oriented M1000 handset. NTT DoCoMo aims to start the service this June. The new service will be an important enhancement of DoCoMo’s mopera ISP service, which provides mobile access to the Web via wireless networks, such as DoCoMo’s 3G FOMA, PHS and 2G PDC networks, and mobile access to e-mail accounts. In addition to these services, mopera U will enable FOMA users to access public wireless LANs via their mobile PCs. It will also enable international roaming for packet-data communications via W-CDMA and GPRS networks and public wireless LANs overseas. Fixed-line Internet access for home computers via the NTT East and West’s FLET’S ADSL or B FLET’S ISP services can be added to mopera U service contracts, enabling customers to meet their total wireless and fixed Internet access needs with one simple subscription. (3GNewsroom)  
 
   
  DoCoMo considers linking with bank
Thursday, April 14, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo is considering linking up with a bank or financial institution to diversify its revenue stream, saying it is no longer viable for mobile phone operators to rely simply on network voice or data traffic for growth, according to its president. DoCoMo might form an alliance with a bank or financial institution, including online groups, to help it offer financial services such as payment settlements through mobile handsets, Masao Nakamura said. "The question is how to shift to a non-traffic revenue model - we are struggling to find out," Mr Nakamura said. DoCoMo has already introduced phones featuring its FeliCa service, a mobile wallet that can be used to purchase basic goods and services. However, it has yet to develop an effective business model for generating revenue streams from FeliCa. But he stressed DoCoMo could no longer hope to expand revenue by depending on growth in subscribers and traffic usage. DoCoMo is expected to unveil a 25 per cent drop in operating profits in the year to March 2005, on a 4.5 per cent decline in revenues. "With its existing business model approaching its limits, NTT DoCoMo has been unable to introduce new services that leverage that model," noted Kazuyo Katsuma, telecoms analyst at JP Morgan, in a recent report. Ms Katsuma pointed out that DoCoMo had been slow to expand the use of its FeliCa-enabled phones. Instead, DoCoMo’s priority has been to reduce costs to deal with falling revenues, particularly distributor subsidies, which comprised more than Y1,000bn ($9bn) a year, Mr Nakamura said. (Financial Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/12/2005
  DoCoMo completes 3G interoperability testing with Qualcomm
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
  Summary Qualcomm today announced that it has successfully completed WCDMA interoperability testing on the FOMA network of Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo. Qualcomm said the testing began in June last year using Qualcomm’s MSM6250 chipset and software solution, and involved extensive network performance, standby-time and talk-time evaluations. The U.S. vendor acknowledged that the successful conclusion of interoperability testing with DoCoMo ensures that the software for the MSM6250 chipset and all future Qualcomm WCDMA chipsets will also be fully compatible with the FOMA network. Last week Swedish vendor Ericsson Mobile Platforms and DoCoMo revealed that the two companies have successfully completed WCDMA interoperability testing over DoCoMo’s live FOMA network and Ericsson’s U100 GPRS/WCMA platform. (Telecoms.com)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/29/2005
  Texas Instrument chips going into NTT DoCoMo Phones
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
  Summary Texas Instruments Senior Vice President Gilles Delfassy said at a press briefing that 3G handset manufacturers had chosen Texas Instrument’s OMAP processors to drive NTT DoCoMo’s new 3G FOMA 901i and 700i series handsets."We have been very honored to establish cooperation with DoCoMo on 3G standards," he said, referring to his company’s long relationship with NTT DoCoMo. But Delfassy, who is in charge of Texas Instrument’s worldwide wireless terminals business unit, was coy on whether the U.S. chip maker was planning to branch out in Japan and establish ties with KDDI Corp., which offers mobile phone services under the brand "au". "These are the two relationships that are public," Delfassy said, citing TI’s ties with DoCoMo and Nokia Corp. (MarketWatch)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/7/2005
  NTT DoCoMo to launch N700i, P700i 3G FOMA handsets
Monday, March 7, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and its eight regional subsidiaries today announced the launch of the N700i and P700i, the last two handsets in the new 3G FOMA 700i series, through DoCoMo sales channels nationwide on March 11. The company informs that the N700i, available in three body colours, is the first FOMA handset to be preinstalled with Disney characters for use with standby screens, incoming/outgoing calls, mail and so forth. Meanwhile the P700i, reportedly the lightest FOMA handset available, features an expansive 2.2" QVGA LCD screen and high-performance 1.25-megapixel camera. The common features of the handsets include videophone, music player functions, ChakuUta and ChakuMotion for high-quality music or audiovisual clips, Deco-mail, megapixel cameras, G-GUIDE to obtain detailed information about TV shows and G-Codes to program video recorders, etc. quickly and easily. (DMasia.com)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/3/2005
  DoCoMo sets up $100 mln U.S. venture fund
Thursday, March 3, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japans largest mobile operator, on Monday said it would set up a $100 million venture fund in the United States to invest in start-up companies that develop advanced mobile communication technologies. The company said it planned to take stakes mainly in U.S. ventures as it attempts to shorten its own development cycle, lower its research and development costs and widen its opportunities. Since the companys failed investments in overseas operators like AT&T Wireless Services Inc. and Hutchison Whampoa Ltds British mobile business over the last several years, DoCoMo has preferred to make smaller investments in venture companies that develop related mobile technologies. DoCoMo said its new subsidiary, DoCoMo Capital Inc., would be based in San Jose, California, and begin operating by July 1. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/17/2005
  DoCoMo to exit personal handyphone business - sources
Thursday, February 17, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s largest mobile operator, will pull out of its money-losing personal handyphone system (PHS) business, so it can focus on its main mobile business, NTT group sources said on Thursday. The mobile unit of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (NTT) plans to announce as early as this month that it will stop accepting new PHS customers early in the next business year starting April and end the service in two to three years, the sources said. DoCoMo, which is Japan’s second-largest provider of PHS services after Willcom Inc., expects to book a loss of about 60 billion yen ($569.3 million) in the year to March 31 to dispose of equipment and scale back its operations, the sources said. DoCoMo said in a statement that it had not made any decisions, but the company had said in the past that it was reviewing the dwindling PHS business. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/14/2005
  NTT DoCoMo sees half of customers on 3G in 2006
Monday, February 14, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s largest mobile operator, expects half of its customers to be on its high-speed third-generation (3G) network in the first half of 2006, an executive said on Monday. "We’re aiming to achieve a 50-50 ratio of FOMA (3G) and mova (2G) customers," DoCoMo chief financial officer Yoshiaki Ugaki said in an interview. At the end of January, 19.4 per cent of DoCoMo’s subscribers were using its 3G network, according to Reuters calculations. (Hindustan Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/12/2005
  Vodafones Bad Connection In Japan
Saturday, February 12, 2005
  Summary When British cellular giant Vodafone Group PLC took over Japanese mobile carrier J-Phone Co. four years ago, the deal looked like a sure thing. J-Phone was coming off of five straight years of market-share growth, it had a hip reputation, and it was within spitting distance of second place in Japans cellular market. Today, that all looks like ancient history. The companys market share has tumbled to 17.8% since peaking at 18.6% in 2003 -- just before the J-Phone name was dropped in favor of Vodafone. Rivals data services offer download speeds up to eight times as fast as Vodafones. And in January, Vodafone saw its subscriber base fall by nearly 59,000 customers -- despite the introduction of seven new third-generation, or 3G, handsets since December. "The January subscriber figures were surprisingly bad, and I dont think its temporary," says Daisaku Masuno, an analyst at Nomura Securities Co. in Tokyo. (BusinessWeek)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/31/2005
  DoCoMo’s revenues fall 11%
Monday, January 31, 2005
  Summary NTT DoCoMo says a discount war hurt revenue but net profit still rose more than 50% in the nine months to December due to gains on the sale of its AT&T Wireless stake. However, operating profit fell 10.9% to 751.35 billion yen on sales of 3.64 trillion yen, down 4.8% from a year earlier, after being hit by deeper family discounts and free e-mail services. DoCoMo’s average monthly revenue per user stood at 7,300 yen during the nine months, down 8.08% from a year earlier. The number of subscribers to DoCoMo’s value-added 3G FOMA service, which allows the transmission of large amounts of data and video calls, nearly tripled to 8.5 million from 3 million a year earlier. Subscription to its 2G mobile phone service fell 8.9% to 39.4 million as migration to the newer system continued. (telecomasia.net)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/19/2005
  NTT DoCoMo to end acceptance of new prepaid phone contracts by March
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
  Summary DoCoMo plans to stop accepting new subscribers for its prepaid mobile phone services by the end of March as they are increasingly used in crimes. Prepaid cellphones under the existing contracts can be used for the time being, but DoCoMo plans to discontinue prepaid mobile phone services after a transitional period of two to three years. Police say prepaid phones are often used in crimes due to the difficulty of identifying their users. (Kyodo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/25/2004
  DoCoMo to offer i-mode technology to mmO2
Thursday, November 25, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo has reached a basic agreement to offer its popular i-mode mobile Internet technology to Britain’s mmO2, who is expected to launch i-mode-based services as early the middle of 2005. Britain has been the last major European country where i-mode has no presence. MmO2 Chief Executive Peter Erskine said last week the company would decide by year-end on whether to introduce i-mode. The technology helped jump-start Japan’s mobile growth when it was launched in February 1999 and secured DoCoMo’s leading position in the industry. In Japan, 43 million subscribers, or about one-third of the population, use i-mode. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/23/2004
  DoCoMo Develops Software Platform for 3G Cell Phones
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo has developed a software platform for its FOMA third-generation mobile phones that comes in two varieties compatible with (1) the Linux open-source operating system and (2) the Symbian operating system. NTT DoCoMo will license the software platform to handset manufacturers to make development work more efficient and enable them to concentrate resources on development of their own application software. The software platform will be utilized on some models in the FOMA 901i series NTT DoCoMo will release later this month. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/18/2004
  Japan's Docomo unveils 3G phones with 3D sound
Thursday, November 18, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo unveiled a new line of advanced mobile phones with stereo-quality surround sound, high-resolution digital cameras, and a special chip that allows owners to use their phones as a debit card. DoCoMo's 3G service, known as FOMA, was slow to take off due to the network's limited coverage area and bulky, expensive phones with a short battery life. FOMA subscribers have been growing exponentially, however, since the network's first major line of new phones were launched last year. All the phones offer "three-dimensional" surround sound that allow users to hear the whack of a golf ball, clapping of hands, or bells ringing in games. They also have 3D graphics. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/11/2004
  NTT DoCoMo’s i-mode Net-capable services launched in Australia
Thursday, November 11, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo announced the launch of its i-mode Internet-capable mobile phone services in Australia on Wednesday by Telstra, Australia’s biggest cellphone operator. Australia is the ninth overseas market to use DoCoMo’s i-mode services. The services are now available in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Greece and Taiwan, as well as Australia. Currently there are about 165 websites available for i-mode services in Australia, and the number is expected to rise to around 200 in about a year. (Kyodo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/5/2004
  DoCoMo, Israel’s Cellcom in i-mode deal-sources
Friday, November 5, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo will licence its industry-leading i-mode mobile Internet service to Israel’s largest mobile operator, Cellcom. Cellcom posted a sharp rise in its second-quarter profit and a 6 percent increase in sales, but warned its profitability would be hurt by changes in government policy. DoCoMo’s five-year-old i-mode is an always-on Internet service that allows users to send e-mail, chat, play games, download ring tones and access content from more than 70,000 mobile Web sites. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/28/2004
  NTT DoCoMo to start bill collection service via ’i-mode’ cellphones
Thursday, October 28, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo will begin collecting payments for client companies via its "i-mode" Internet-access mobile phone service. When subscribers to the cellphone service buy the products and services of client companies, charges will be added to NTT DoCoMo’s phone bills. Starting next spring, NTT DoCoMo will collect payments from online buyers of games for Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.’s PlayStation 2 and PSP game consoles. (Kyodo )  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/26/2004
  DoCoMo May Report 1st-Half Profit Decline; KDDI Likely Gained
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo may report a drop in fiscal first-half profit after spending more to entice customers from rivals. Net income fell 15 percent to 302.9 billion yen in the six months ended Sept. 30, from 356.4 billion yen a year earlier, according to the median estimate. KDDI may post a 22 percent gain in net income to 105.2 billion yen from 85.9 billion yen when it reports on Thursday. The contrast in earnings underscores the fates of Japan’s two largest mobile-phone companies. Using new handsets and flat- rate services, Tokyo-based KDDI has cut into DoCoMo’s dominance of Japan’s $73 billion mobile-phone market by gaining new subscribers at a faster pace. DoCoMo, which controls less than a third of Japan’s high- speed mobile-phone market, is aiming to regain market share from KDDI by providing clearer calls to users of its FOMA service. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/11/2004
  Qualcomm, NTT DoCoMo Join to Promote Global WCDMA Deployment
Monday, October 11, 2004
  Summary Qualcomm will work with DoCoMo to promote the global deployment of WCDMA. Qualcomm and DoCoMo began interoperability testing in June 2004 using Qualcomm’s TM6250 test mobile. Based on the successful results of the interoperability tests, field trials will begin immediately on DoCoMo’s live FOMA network. The series of field tests are scheduled to be completed at the end of 2004. The TM6250 test mobile has already been proven to work on numerous WCDMA/GSM/GPRS networks deployed by major carrier groups around the world. It is expected that a wide range of handsets with Qualcomm chipsets supporting many foreign carriers will be able to roam into DoCoMo’s FOMA network in Japan. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/6/2004
  DoCoMo Develops Fuel Cell for Mobile Phones
Wednesday, October 6, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo has created a prototype fuel cell to use in its FOMA series. The development was conducted in alliance with Fujitsu Laboratories with plans to complete development by the end of 2005. The fuel cell is shaped like a cradle and can be used as a mobile phone battery charger. According to DoCoMo, the prototype is capable of generating enough power for about 2 hours of voice communication using the 18cc methanol solution of 30% concentration. In other words, the capacity of the fuel cell is equivalent to that of a Li-ion battery. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/15/2004
  DoCoMo To Beef Up Credit Card Operations
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo is looking to strengthen credit card operations for users of its mobile telephones. The company aims to increase its DoCoMo Card members in one year to 1 million from roughly 400,000 at present. The typical annual fee for the card is 1,050 yen, but as early as October, the firm plans to waive the charge on cards offered in collaboration with UFJ and JCB. Users of DoCoMo Cards receive points when they use them for regular shopping and for mobile phone service payments. The company expects competition for mobile phone users to stiffen in fiscal 2006, when customers will be able to take their mobile phone numbers to other firms. NTT DoCoMo hopes its credit card operations will help it to retain customers. (Nikkei Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/30/2004
  NTT DoCoMo, Motorola Form Alliance in FOMA Terminal Development for Business Users
Monday, August 30, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Motorola, and Motorola’s Japan affiliate established an alliance for joint development of FOMA terminals for corporate users. The plan is to carry various wireless standards such as a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, IEEE802.11b, and Bluetooth. Also, the terminal will be applicable to a total of five kinds of wireless standards such GSM and GPRS. DoCoMo’s wireless LAN access service called "Mzone" is available, and with Bluetooth dial-up or handsfree communications are made possible. Due to the GSM/GPRS compatibility, terminals can be used overseas. An interesting plus is that users may browse general WWW sites on the Internet or use MS Word or Excel software. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/25/2004
  Coca-Cola’s New Vending Machine Offers Cashless Purchases With I-Mode FeliCa Users
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
  Summary Coca-Cola has developed a new Cmode automatic vending machine (Cmo2) as a next-generation automatic vending machine that supports NTT DoCoMo Inc’s FeliCa-enabled mobile phones. The Cmo2 has improved over the earlier Cmo by adding an interface that supports a contactless IC chip "i-mode FeliCa" in a DoCoMo mobile phone. The Cmo only supports two-dimensional bar code and infrared communication. Coca-Cola System will start installing the new machines from September 2004. With the new vending machine, the machine owner can set automatic discount sales during any designated time hours, automatic notification function when the products are sold out, the machine goes out of order, and so on. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/30/2004
  DoCoMo Makes 10 Billion Yen Available to Support Reader/Writer Installation for 'FeliCa' Mobile Phon
Friday, July 30, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo will start FeliCa reader/writer installation services as part of a promotion plan for "FeliCa"-capable mobile phones. In order to provide FeliCa services such as electronic money or issuance of value saving points by each customer, it is necessary to have a reader/writer system to read, or rewrite, FeliCa chip information included in a card or mobile phone. NTT DoCoMo decided to encourage small-sized service providers to introduce the system by providing financial assistance to them. The company has 10 billion yen ready for assistance. In addition to the main body of a reader/writer, software development to implement FeliCa services is also covered. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/15/2004
  DoCoMo Wi-Fi Phone Shows Carriers’ Hand
Thursday, July 15, 2004
  Summary The N900iL handset, made by NEC, requires a particular NEC IP telephony server, which presumably hooks up to a network sold by DoCoMo or its parent NTT. The phone can make voice calls over Wi-Fi inside offices, essentially acting as a wireless PBX extension, and also features an instant-messaging application with a presence function letting users check co-workers’ availability. But not surprisingly, DoCoMo’s made the phone somehow incompatible with any other Wi-Fi networks than those installed expressly for the device, though it said it was considering adding support for its M-Zone public hotspots. (The Feature)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/8/2004
  NTT DoCoMo subscription gain exceeds KDDIfs for 1st time in 9 months
Thursday, July 8, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo saw the biggest net subscription growth in the Japanese mobile phone market in June, surpassing that of KDDI for the first time since last September. DoCoMo had a net increase of 166,300 subscriptions in June on the back of strong demand for its FOMA third-generation mobile phone service. KDDI's "au" service trailed NTT DoCoMo with a net gain of 157,500 subscriptions due to a month-on-month fall in those to its third-generation system. Vodafone, which registered the smallest-ever net subscription increase of 17,700 in May, added 64,100 to its service in June. (Yahoo! Asia)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/7/2004
  DoCoMo Determined to Outperform Rivals in Competition on Monthly Net Subscriber Increase
Wednesday, July 7, 2004
  Summary Behind NTT DoCoMo's efforts lies the company's sense of crisis. Specifically, it is becoming more difficult for the company to differentiate its business from its rivals' and to outperform them, if it continues to offer the i-mode service alone. In Japan the growth in the number of new subscribers has already peaked. The competition among carriers to secure new subscribers is becoming especially fierce. In the competition on the monthly net increase in the number of new subscribers, DoCoMo has been lagging behind KDDI for eight consecutive months and is now fighting an uphill battle. Therefore, it is necessary for the company to launch a new attractive service to prevent its customers from shifting to similar services offered by its rivals. The i-mode FeliCa Service will provide NTT DoCoMo with a major opportunity to demonstrate the technological advantage of its service over the competing services. Although KDDI and Vodafone are also considering the feasibility of similar services using the contactless IC card, they have yet to come up with specific plans. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo to Release FeliCa-Capable Mobile Phone, Aiming for i-Mode Success
Wednesday, July 7, 2004
  Summary DoCoMo will launch Japan’s first mobile phone with a contactless IC chip in July. When the user brings an i-mode FeliCa-capable handset close to a dedicated reader, the required amount will be withdrawn from the user’s electronic money account recorded in the chip embedded in the handset. The Japanese mobile phone giant aims to expand its customer base by marketing the new handset compatible with its "i-mode FeliCa Service" ahead of its rivals, such as KDDI Corp and Vodafone KK. NTT DoCoMo will provide the i-mode FeliCa Service in cooperation with its partner companies. Also, the company plans to commence a solution business for companies using the new handsets. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/22/2004
  DoCoMo Cellular Handset Doubles As Office Extension Phone
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo plans to beat its rivals and release this summer a 3G cellular phone that also functions as an internal extension phone in the office. DoCoMofs new phone will have a built-in chip enabling use for voice communications via wireless LANs. Once taken outside, the handset will function as a regular 3G cell phone, and calls will be subject to the same charges as the FOMA 3G service, but no cellular charges will apply when it is used as an extension phone. DoCoMo plans to sell the cell phone along with wireless LAN equipment. The price for 500 handsets will likely be 35-40 million yen. Corporate sales account for only around 10% of the domestic cell phone market. Because the high data communications capabilities of 3G cell phones can help businesses improve efficiency, DoCoMo believes that cell phones will find more demand among companies in the future. Fully deploying the cell phone would make it possible to eliminate the use of fixed-line phones in the office. (Nikkei.net)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/17/2004
  NTT DoCoMo’s Predicts FeliCa-Capable Cell Phone to Become ’Lifestyle Infrastructure’
Thursday, June 17, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo will debut handset models with FeliCa, a contactless IC card technology, functions in the summer of 2004. Services or products that have the potential have such an impact as to change people’s lifestyles come about every five years or so in the mobile phone industry. DoCoMo believes that the year 2004, or five years after the debut of i-mode, will become the year of "lifestyle infrastructure" by equipping FeliCa in mobile phones. The FeliCa handset will allow users to operate it without starting up the screen. Additionally, when people use them, all they do is just scan them to the reader/writer. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/2/2004
  NTT DoCoMo's 4G Test Results in 300Mbps Data Rate in Moving Car
Wednesday, June 2, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced test results from its 4G field experiments, saying it had achieved maximum downstream data rate of 300Mbps with an average sustained rate of 135MBps in a moving vehicle running at aproximately 30 kilometers per hour. The vehicle was also around 800m to 1km away from the 4G base station. DoCoMo aims to realize much faster communication speeds by adding the multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) technology to the its current wireless systems. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/18/2004
  NTT DoCoMo Exhibits Concept Model of "TV" Phone
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc revealed its "OnQ" model, a concept mobile phone capable of showing terrestrial digital TV broadcasts, aswell as a device for users to carry home-recorded TV programs and view them wherever possible. NTT DoCoMo has suggested using the OnQ phone for "timeshift viewing" with the support of communications lines. The OnQ unit consists of: (1) a mobile phone holding a receptor for a "one-segment" broadcast, and (2) a cradle holding a hard disk device (HDD) recorder. There are two reasons for emphasizing the "timeshift viewing" function for a mobile phone with TV reception capability. One is the issue of battery life and the other is the issue of circumstances where users cannot receive broadcasts due to poor reception, such as underground. With timeshift viewing it is possible to cut out and view a program whatever the user wants for a short period of time. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/13/2004
  DoCoMo Aims to Increase Operating Profit by Cutting Costs
Thursday, May 13, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo aims to increase revenue and operating profit by cutting the selling price of handsets and lowering retailers’ commission. DoCoMo expects the purchase price from handset-makers such as NEC Corp. will decline because the number of subscribers for the most advanced cell phones is expected to reach 10 million by the end of March next year. The price decrease will allow DoCoMo to lower incentives to retailers. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/6/2004
  NTT DoCoMo to Begin Fixed-Rate Packet Communications in June
Thursday, May 6, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced on March 24, 2004 that it will launch a fixed-rate packet communications service on June 1, 2004. Following its rival au by announcing its launch of a fixed-rate packet communications service. The announcement came as a surprise as President Keiji Tachikawa emphasized in December 2003 that the company would not follow rivals and start its own flat-rate packet communications service. NTT DoCoMo finally decided to start its own flat-rate packet communications service called "Pake Hodai" to compete with the EZ Flat service provided by KDDI Corp, a leader in such fixed-rate packet communications services. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/28/2004
  NTT DoCoMo to launch 3G roaming-in service for visitors to Japan
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo will launch an international roaming-in service to enable mobile subscribers of DoCoMo’s 21 international partners in 19 countries and territories to use DoCoMo’s 3G FOMA network while in Japan. The service starts 1 May. By using 3G roaming-in service compatible handsets that will be provided by DoCoMo, subscribers will be able to make and receive calls using their regular local number. Phones will be available at DoCoMo World Counters in Narita International Airport and Kansai International Airport. The cost of rental will be JPY 735 (EUR 6.04) (tax included) per day. Charges for international calls from Japan will be set by each international partner. The roaming-in service will offer voice communication and videophone calls at the time of launch, and DoCoMo plans to add SMS and packet data transmission services later. Overseas operators taking part in this service will also be added. (Telecom Paper)  
 
   
  DoCoMo To Take 40% Stake In Thai Company
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will take a 40% stake in L-spot Co., a unit of Loxley Public Co. of Thailand, for THB21.6 million. Loxley will also invest THB24.4 million in L-spot. NTT DoCoMo aims to launch fleet management services through the joint venture, its first such service overseas. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
  Boeing, NTT DoCoMo eye Internet roaming deal
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding with The Boeing Co. that is expected to lead to its wireless LAN customers being able to access Boeing in-flight Internet services through their NTT DoCoMo accounts. Under the deal, specific terms of which are yet to be worked out, NTT DoCoMo customers will be able to use their current user name and password to access Connexion by Boeing Internet service. Charges for the service will later be billed by NTT DoCoMo. (IDG)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/22/2004
  DoCoMo boosts dividend to mark "i-mode" success
Thursday, April 22, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Thursday it would boost its annual dividend by 50 percent for the business year that ended on March 31 by offering a special dividend to mark 40 million subscribers for its "i-mode" service. DoCoMo, Japan’s largest mobile carrier, will now offer a 1,500 yen ($13.73) dividend, up from an earlier 1,000 yen forecast. That would boost the share’s dividend yield to 0.66 percent, which is still below the Nikkei 225’s forecast average of 0.87 percent. (Forbes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/21/2004
  DoCoMo changes CEO choice after NTT veto--sources
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
  Summary A veto of NTT DoCoMo Inc’s choice of chief executive has forced Japan’s dominant mobile operator to choose a new candidate just weeks before the announcement is expected, company sources said on Wednesday. DoCoMo wanted to appoint Shiro Tsuda, a senior executive vice president, as successor to current Chief Executive Keiji Tachikawa, but the move was blocked by its parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp, the sources said. (Forbes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/20/2004
  DoCoMo’s "New Business Model"
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo (DCM) has long been one of the world’s wireless pioneers. In the late 1990s, the Japanese outfit launched the most successful cellular Internet service, i-mode, followed by one of the first commercial third-generation (3G) networks in 2001. But in the past few years, DoCoMo stumbled as it tried to launch its high-speed service while competing with upstart rival KDDI. Last fall, KDDI challenged the industry leader again by announcing plans to offer lower-cost high-speed service, charging a low, flat monthly rate. Now, DoCoMo is following suit (see BW, 4/19/04, "DoCoMo vs. a Mouse That’s Roaring"). I recently spoke to DoCoMo President and CEO Keiji Tachikawa about the KDDI threat, DoCoMo’s strategy in Japan, the West, and China, and the future of 3G. Here are edited excerpts from our conversation: (KTVU)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/19/2004
  DoCoMo to plug i-mode mobile at Olympics
Monday, April 19, 2004
  Summary Japanese wireless firm NTT DoCoMo hopes Olympic promotion of its mobile Internet service will bolster its European market, the Financial Times reports. A deal with Greek mobile service provider Cosmote will mean big exposure for i-mode, DoCoMo’s wireless Internet service that allows mobile phone users to download things like games and trivia. At the Olympics, to be held in Athens this August, DoCoMo plans to unveil their 3G-capable i-mode handsets in Europe for the first time. (Washington Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/16/2004
  NTT DoCoMo to launch UEFA I-mode site
Friday, April 16, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, the Japanese communications group has revealed that it is to begin a joint UEFA.com site for i-mode mobile internet services with UEFA, the European Football governing body. The service, which is scheduled to start on Monday, will be the first to offer UEFAs authorised content via a mobile internet site. The site will offer up-to-date sports highlights and updates about the UEFA Champions League and EURO 2004 from the official Japanese UEFA website. It will also include information about players, as well as interviews and screensavers. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
  DoCoMo Will Seek U.K. I-mode Partner in Absence of Hutchison
Friday, April 16, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., which owns 20 percent of Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.’s U.K. mobile-phone business, will seek another British partner for its i-mode mobile Internet service if Hutchison decides not to introduce it. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/14/2004
  DoCoMo vs. A Mouse That’s Roaring
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. isn’t accustomed to sitting in second place. The company has long dominated the Japanese cellular market, and today boasts 56% market share, twice that of its rival, KDDI Corp. And while other carriers were struggling to offer any kind of wireless data services, DoCoMo five years ago rolled out i-mode, an always-on connection to the Internet that was an instant hit, allowing users to e-mail, shop, and bank online all through the medium of their handset. (BusinessWeek)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/13/2004
  DoCoMo to plug i-mode mobile at Olympics
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo hopes Olympic promotion of its mobile Internet service will bolster its European market .A deal with Greek mobile service provider Cosmote will mean big exposure for i-mode, DoCoMo’s wireless Internet service that allows mobile phone users to download things like games and trivia. At the Olympics, to be held in Athens this August, DoCoMo plans to unveil their 3G-capable i-mode handsets in Europe for the first time. (Washington Times/UPI)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/8/2004
  NTT DoCoMo to prioritise SMS in event of disasters
Thursday, April 8, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced today that it can separately manage voice calls and data packet transmissions for some handsets to avoid excessive network congestion during major natural disasters. The move is expected to increase the ability to successfully transmit text messages to DoCoMo’s i-mode Disaster Message Board service, even if network traffic should rise sharply during a major disaster. Presently, if network traffic were to become exceedingly heavy during a disaster, DoCoMo could be forced to block traffic in selected areas on a temporary basis to prevent serious degradation of network performance. In some instances, urgent messages sent to the Disaster Message Board could be blocked inadvertently. By separating management of voice calls and data packet transmissions, DoCoMo expects that text messages will have an increased chance for successful transmission during a disaster, when the traffic of voice calls would likely rise and that of data packet transmissions would be relatively low. (Geekzone)  
 
   
  DoCoMo to name VP Tsuda as president
Thursday, April 8, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s largest mobile phone company, will name senior executive vice president Shiro Tsuda to replace Keiji Tachikawa as its president, business daily Nihon Keizai reported on Thursday. Tachikawa is in his sixth year as head of DoCoMo and is widely expected to step down in June, when his third two-year term ends. Tsuda has been seen as the frontrunner to succeed Tachikawa due to his experience in rolling out the world’s first third-generation (3G) network with high-speed data capabilities. He also worked closely with Tachikawa on i-mode, DoCoMo’s revolutionary Internet service that attracted consumers in droves. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/6/2004
  DoCoMo To Study Social Impacts Of Wireless
Tuesday, April 6, 2004
  Summary Japanese wireless operator NTT DoCoMo said late last week that it will create a research organization to examine the social impacts of mobile phones. The company said in a statement that the Mobile Society Research Institute will "clarify both the positive and negative aspect of mobile phones (and) focus on enhancing the upside, while minimizing the downside." The company said the institute would be an independent body. (CMP)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/2/2004
  Japan’s DoCoMo high-speed 3G subscribers hit 3 mln
Friday, April 2, 2004
  Summary Japan’s dominant mobile phone operator, said on Wednesday that total subscribers to its high-speed 3G service hit the three million mark, just two months after reaching two million. DoCoMo’s subscriber number for the service, known as "FOMA", also exceeded its target of 2.4 million for fiscal 2003, which ended on Wednesday. The company was one of the first in the world to launch a 3G (third-generation) service, which allows users to quickly download music, video and other large files. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/1/2004
  NTT DoCoMo Unveils New 506i 2G I-Mode Phone Series
Thursday, April 1, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc on April 27 introduced the new mova 506i series of three PDC (2G) i-mode mobile phone handsets.The handsets feature cameras with effective resolutions of more than one million pixels. They also come with infrared ports for exchanging data and photos with compatible handsets and performing infrared-based functions such as remote-control operation of appliances, authentication and cashless payments. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/30/2004
  DoCoMo says no decision made on Hutchison stake
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
  Summary Responding to news reports that it planned to end its investment in Hutchison 3G UK Holdings Ltd., NTT DoCoMo released a statement that it has not made a decision about ending the investment. NTT DoCoMo has been considering strategic plans with both Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. and Hutchison 3G UK Holdings Ltd., and will continue to maintain good relations with both companies, the company said in the statement. (RCR News)  
 
   
  DoCoMo promises remote control of appliances via handset
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
  Summary Wireless industry leaders continue to push the boundaries of mobile-phone functions, and the latest innovation seems to hit close to home. NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced a new offering that will allow its 3G FOMA users to remotely control various household appliances, including TVs, air conditioners and lights. The carriers offering comes shortly after executives from LG Electronics Co. Ltd. and Motorola Inc. discussed similar products during the recent CTIA Wireless show in Atlanta. (RCR News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/29/2004
  DoCoMo researchers dream big for future phones
Monday, March 29, 2004
  Summary A mobile phone that can communicate sight, touch, smell, taste and emotion might sound fantastical, but that is exactly what NTT DoCoMo Inc’s chief technology officer aims to develop. "Right now, our mobile phones can relay voice and images, but we need to strengthen our research into the communication of the rest of the five senses," Kota Kinoshita told Reuters in an interview. "Our president, Keiji Tachikawa, dreams of using phones to beam things physically. That may not be possible, but I think we will eventually be able to offer users a virtual experience like that." (Reuters)  
 
   
  DoCoMo to liquidate Hutchison-related units
Monday, March 29, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Wednesday it planned to liquidate three units that were created to hold shares in Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Ltd’s operations in Hong Kong, Britain and the British Virgin Islands. Japan’s largest mobile phone operator said it had decided to close the three intermediate holding companies -- DCM Capital LDN Ltd, DCM Capital HKG Ltd and DCM Capital 3G HKG Ltd -- to reduce operational costs. (Forbes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/23/2004
  DoCoMo talking with Hutchison toward UK exit-source
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s dominant mobile phone operator, is in detailed discussions with Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Ltd to pull out of their third-generation phone venture in Britain, a DoCoMo source said on Thursday. The source, who declined to be named, said the two sides are negotiating the price that Hutchison would pay DoCoMo for its 20 percent stake in 3G UK Holdings Ltd. (Forbes)  
 
   
  DoCoMo’s Problem Handsets Fixed By Download
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
  Summary The 160,000 NTT DoCoMo handsets that had problems operating with the firm’s FOMA service in Japan have found a savior: U.S.-based firm DoOnGo Technologies. The company reported that it was able to download a patch to update the FOMA phones. The FOMA N900i handsets had embedded DoOnGo software before customers used them. DoCoMo was able to download a patch to fix a ’reboot’ bug in 1600,000 phones in a matter of minutes, the firm said in a statement. (CMPNetAsia)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/22/2004
  NTT DoCoMo, Far EasTone Tie Up for 3G W-CDMA Service Launch in Taiwan
Monday, March 22, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc and Far EasTone Telecommunications Co, Ltd of Taiwan said they have signed a consulting agreement under which Far EasTone will launch a W-CDMA-based 3G commercial service in Taiwan, and NTT DoCoMo will provide technical support. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/17/2004
  DoCoMo to set lowest flat rate for 3G data service
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc plans to set a monthly flat fate of about 3,900 yen for unlimited third-generation (3G) cell phone data transmissions, NTT DoCoMo sources said Wednesday. The fee is about 300 yen lower than the fee level for comparable data transmission service offered by KDDI Corp, NTT DoCoMo’s main rival in the fiercely competitive cell phone market. (Japan Today)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/15/2004
  Far EasTone teams up with DoCoMo for Taiwan service
Monday, March 15, 2004
  Summary Far EasTone Telecommunications Co, the nation’s second-largest mobile-phone carrier after Taiwan Cellular Corp, said it signed a consultancy pact with NTT DoCoMo Inc yesterday to launch a third-generation (3G) mobile network in Taiwan this year. Under the agreement, NTT DoCoMo will offer its technical support to Far EasTone in offering Wideband Code-Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) phone services here, Far EasTone said in a statement yesterday. (Taipei Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/11/2004
  NTT DoCoMo considers pulling out of 3
Thursday, March 11, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo is considering pulling out of its 20% stake in 3 and going into partnership with mmO2 to increase European take-up of its i-mode service, according to rumours in the City. The Japanese company has made no secret of its desire to push for mass-market adoption of i-mode in Europe, but sales have been disappointing, despite its stake in 3 and agreements with KPN in the Netherlands, Bouygues Telecom in France and Telefonica Moviles in Spain. Officially both sides were claiming last week that their relationship had not been altered, with i-mode handsets even being tested by 3s Hong Kong operation. (MobileToday)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/9/2004
  DoCoMo Employees Fudge the Numbers
Tuesday, March 9, 2004
  Summary Although DoCoMo’s rate of growth has slowed lately, they still have added new customers every month. But last month DoCoMo Kyushu, a subsidiary covering the southern island, was about to suffer a net loss of subscribers for the first time. To avoid the shame of being the first subsidiary to actually lose more customers than they gained, employees signed up for 800 new subscriptions at the end of the month to boost the numbers, according to a translation from Dottocomu. Of course no one may have noticed this trick except that the employees all cancelled their contracts a few days later, raising flags in the company database. DoCoMo Kyushu has apologized and will punish the employees. Even though it is unlikely that 800 subs could have effected the numbers much outside of Kyushu Island, this has caused DoCoMo as a whole to look pretty stupid. February’s numbers have not been released yet, but we’re willing to bet DoCoMo will be in the black, even with Kyushu’s net loss. (The Feature)  
 
   
  KDDI, Others to Develop Innovative Digital Radio Receiver Attachable to PDA
Tuesday, March 9, 2004
  Summary KDDI Corp, Tokyo FM Broadcasting Co, Ltd and Vitec Co, Ltd have jointly developed a terrestrial digital radio receiver that can be attached to a personal digital assistant (PDA) device via the USB1.1 interface. In Japan, two methods are used for digital terrestrial radio broadcasting, "one-segment" and "three-segment." The new terminal is able to receive both of these bandwidths. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo will test international wi-fi roaming with SingTel
Tuesday, March 9, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo and SingTel will conduct a trial to test international roaming between their wi-fi services. The trial is aimed at verifying technologies and marketability under a plan to jointly launch a commercial international roaming service. During the trial, DoCoMo and SingTel Mobile will share access to their respective Mzone and "Outdoor Wireless Surf" Wireless LAN services, which they currently offer at cafes and other locations to enable users to connect to the Internet via PDAs and notebooks equipped with Wireless LAN cards. DoCoMo’s Mzone service is currently available at 216 locations in Japan and SingTel Mobile’s Outdoor Wireless Surf service is available at more than 230 locations in Singapore. (Geekzone)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/5/2004
  NTT DoCoMo Continues to Expand 3G FOMA Service Coverage
Friday, March 5, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that it will expand its 3G FOMA service coverage to 99.9% of populated areas in the Kanto-Koshinetsu* region by the end of March 2004. The figure represents a 0.5-point rise from last December. In addition, DoCoMo and its eight regional companies will expand FOMA’s nationwide service coverage, up one percentage point from December to approximately 99% of the national population by the end of March. (Asia Economy)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/3/2004
  NTT DoCoMo develops speech recognition without speech
Wednesday, March 3, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. lifted the lid Tuesday on its five-year-old research and development (R&D) center in Japan and demonstrated a couple of the technologies the operator is working on, including a speech recognition system that doesn’t require speech. The company, Japan’s largest cellular operator, last year spent around 150 billion ($1.4 billion) on R&D. It employs more than 1,100 people to look into new technologies and communications methods. Many of those people are based here in Yokosuka, west of Tokyo. The carrier, which also has laboratories in the U.S. and Germany, is in the process of establishing a center in China. (InfoWorld)  
 
   
  Bug Bites Into DoCoMo Handset
Wednesday, March 3, 2004
  Summary It looks like a bug has burrowed its way into one of NTT DoCoMo’s new 3G FOMA 900i handsets, causing a temporary suspension of sales of the F900i. The software glitch centers on the handset’s inability to automatically receive incoming e-mail "under certain circumstances." The bug seems to pop up when one of three things occurs: The handset is closed before the stand-by screen is displayed; the automatic switch-on function activates when the handset is folded; and a handset is switched on outside a service area and is folded when a service area is entered. All other phone functions are working properly, DoCoMo says. (WirelessWeek)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/2/2004
  Vodafone Live!, DoCoMo i-mode both poised for wider growth
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
  Summary New research shows Vodafones Live! wireless data service and NTT DoCoMos i-mode service are both poised for growth outside of Japan. According to research and consulting firm Analysys Research, data services beyond text messaging will gradually take hold, but operators will have to pay careful attention to pricing, marketing and the availability of handsets. (RCR News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/27/2004
  Could DoCoMo be the saviour of MMO2?
Friday, February 27, 2004
  Summary As new speculation mounted over Vodafone’s next move, following its failure to acquire AT&T Wireless, another takeover saga began with the rejection of a bid for the UK’s MMO2 from the Netherlands’ KPN. (The Register)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/26/2004
  DoCoMo seeks a place in new US network
Thursday, February 26, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo would consider investing in the enlarged group created by Cingular’s $41bn takeover this month of AT&T Wireless to help it realise its objectives in the US, the Japanese mobile operator’s president said on Wednesday. The company holds a 16 per cent stake in AT&T Wireless but is expected to be have to sell this as part of Cingular’s all-cash acquisition. In an interview with the Financial Times, Keiji Tachikawa said: "We will make a decision based on the economics [of any potential investment]. We would like to consider Cingular’s conditions". (Financial Times)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo Hints at mmO2 Interest
Thursday, February 26, 2004
  Summary Japan’s largest mobile operator NTT DoCoMo Inc has signaled its interest in a partnership with mmO2 Plc, but only if the fourth placed UK operator adopts i-mode, DoCoMo’s data service. mmO2 has been the subject of intense takeover speculation after takeover talks between it and Royal KPN NV, the largest Dutch telephone company, collapsed last week. This speculation was renewed after the president of DoCoMo, Keiji Tachikawa, told the Financial Times that the operator would be interested if mmO2 adopted i-mode. "We are prepared to negotiate with any operator which will do i-mode," said Tachikawa. He added that DoCoMo would first have to consult 3 UK, its current UK partner, regarding any new partnership. (Computerwire)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/25/2004
  Getway and Others to Start up New FOMA Auction Site
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
  Summary On April 1, Getway, AutoTools Japan, and NTT-ME will jointly launch an auction site, auction.e-2way.com, designed exclusively for NTT DoCoMo’s FOMA 3G cellular network. Enhanced with NTT DoCoMo’s M-stage V-live real-time video streaming technology, the new service will allow auction sellers to submit items, and transmit items’ live images to buyers so they can see the more detailed features. Transmitting the live images requires NTT ME’s You-i Camera, which comes with built-in encoding software for FOMA, to ensure real-time image and sound encoding and transmission. (Japacorp.net)  
 
   
  SQUARE ENIX to Launch DoCoMo Sites for World-Famous Game Titles
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
  Summary On March 1, Square Enix will begin offering a series of popular game titles, Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, to users of NTT DoCoMo’s 900i Series mobile phones. "Dragon Quest i" and "Final Fantasy i" will feature not only Java games but also character motion images and flash-based standby screen pictures. Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy have sold more than 31 million and 49 million copies, respectively. Each service costs 500 yen ($4.59) per month. (Japancorp.net)  
 
   
  DoCoMo to recruit i-mode operators against Vodafone
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo provided evidence on Wednesday that it claims proves its i-mode service offers enough incremental revenue opportunities for European operators to consider it an effective weapon against Vodafone’s Live! service. NTT DoCoMo’s i-mode content model came under fire earlier this week from Portugese operator Optimus, which said i-mode could soak up its pre-paid voice revenues. But DoCoMo was today keen to show that ARPU in new figures which indicate between 6 and 10 euros per month per subscriber is incremental, and therefore a money-spinner for operators that deploy i-mode profitably. (Total Telecom)  
 
   
  DoCoMo: New 3G Plans for USA?
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
  Summary Despite the fact that NTT DoCoMo has to shed its 16-percent stake in AT&T Wireless Services Inc. (and probably a few tears given the drop in value), this does not mean AT&T Wireless gets off the hook from its obligations to launch W-CDMA 3G in four US markets by the end 2004. So what’s a badly burned DoCoMo, which has been forced to write down something like 1.5 trillion of the 1.9 trillion yen it spent on minority shareholdings in Western and Asian carriers, to do? The answer seems to be hopping into bed with Cingular to keep the 3G dream alive, or at least stop it degenerating into a nightmare. (Wireless Watch Japan)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/23/2004
  Japan’s DoCoMo to offer unlimited flat-rate data communications
Monday, February 23, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc plans to introduce a monthly flat-rate fee for unlimited cell phone data transmissions such as e-mail and Internet services starting as early as the middle of this year, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun said. The offer will be made available first to subscribers of its 3G (third-generation) FOMA cell phone services. Subscribers will also have unlimited use of packet switching communications to download content such as games and ring tones. But they will still have to pay basic and connection fees separately. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/20/2004
  DoCoMo eyes technical tie-up with Cingular Wireless, others
Friday, February 20, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. isn’t through with the United States just yet. Since the company has decided to sell its 16 percent stake in AT&T Wireless Services Inc. to the second-largest U.S. mobile phone carrier, Cingular Wireless LLC, speculation was that the Japanese carrier-which has been badly burned on its massive international investments-might pack up its bags and go home. Instead, sources say, Japan’s top mobile phone operator is looking to form an alliance with Cingular Wireless to promote its preferred third-generation mobile phone standard in the United States. (Asahi.com)  
 
   
  Nokia says in talks with DoCoMo on 3G handsets
Friday, February 20, 2004
  Summary The world’s top cellphone maker Nokia said on Friday it was in talks with Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo to supply high-speed 3G handsets, a potential boost for the Finnish firm in a market where it has struggled. "We are in talks with DoCoMo related to 3G terminals," Nokia spokesman Kari Tuutti said. He declined to give an estimate for the size or timetable of a possible deal for third-generation handsets. "With the emergence of 3G in Japan, this is a great opportunity for Nokia to get a good presence in the Japanese market," he said. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/19/2004
  NTT DoCoMo unveils FOMA 900i series, the ultimate 3G mobile terminal
Thursday, February 19, 2004
  Summary When NTT DoCoMo unveiled the 900i series, the most advanced-ever 3G i-mode mobile terminals, on December 18, 2003, members of the press seemed eager to hear the announcement. The press conference was a resounding success, with the conference hall filled to capacity soon after opening. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/18/2004
  DoCoMo may trade US ambition for cash
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc is expected to pocket US$6.5bil in cash from the US$41bil takeover of AT&T Wireless by Cingular Wireless, spelling the end of a costly foray into the key US market. A DoCoMo source said Japans largest mobile carrier intended to sell its 16% stake in AT&T Wireless at the US$15-per-share price offered by Cingular, but may consider negotiating a reinvestment in the US cellular operator at a later date. In a statement, DoCoMo said if the announced transaction were consummated, it would have a considerable effect on the relationship between DoCoMo and AT&T Wireless, as it would result in all of its shares in AT&T Wireless being converted into cash. By selling its 432.99 million AT&T Wireless shares at US$15 each, DoCoMo would recover nearly two-thirds of its original US$10.2bil investment in the third largest US mobile phone company. (The Star)  
 
   
  Panasonic Mobile to Introduce FOMA/GSM Dual Handset in Fall 2004
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
  Summary Yasuo Katsura, president of Panasonic Mobile Communications Co, Ltd disclosed on Feb 9 the company’s new business strategy dubbed the "Leap Ahead 21" plan, focusing on its mobile business extending into 2006. Katsura cited as target figures for 2006: (1) sales of 4,000 mobile devices amounting to 1 trillion yen; (2) attaining an 8% share of the world’s market in unit terms; and (3) achieving a 5%-plus operating profit. In particular, the company will place special emphasis on the sale of devices and expansion of base stations overseas, especially in Europe and China. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/17/2004
  FOMA -What's Fuelling Japan's 3G growth?
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
  Summary For five years now NTT DoCoMo has been a shining international example of what can be achieved in terms of generating cash via non voice wireless products and services. Their i-mode mobile data service is virtually the stuff of legend as it has achieved truly stellar growth since its launch in February 1999. Today, i-mode subscriptions now stand at 40 million in Japan, over 90% of DoCoMo's customer base. (3g.co.uk)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/12/2004
  DoCoMo sets meeting seen blocking AT&T Wireless bid
Thursday, February 12, 2004
  Summary Top executives of NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s biggest mobile phone operator, are expected to meet this evening to decide against bidding for U.S. wireless operator AT&T Wireless Services Inc, company sources said on Friday. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/10/2004
  Shift to high-end services lifts DoCoMo
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, the world’s second-largest mobile phone operator, said Wednesday that it had a profit for its third quarter as the company shifted more customers to high-end camera phones and its new "FOMA" wireless Internet access services. Group net income totaled 137.8 billion, or $1.31 billion, for the quarter that ended Dec. 31, the company said. (International Herald Tribune)  
 
   
  DoCoMo Sinks to 3rd in Jan Cell Phone User Increase Rankings
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc slumped to third in terms of net customer increases in January, according to a Telecommunications Carriers Association (TCA) report released on Feb 6. KDDI Corp’s au cell phone service saw a net subscriber jump of 232,000 to claim the top spot for the fourth straight month, according to the report on new cellular phone contracts in January. And with a net customer increase of 64,100, Vodafone Holdings KK overtook NTT DoCoMo, which recorded 63,700 new contracts. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/5/2004
  DoCoMo anticipates FOMA boom
Thursday, February 5, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. said Wednesday it will raise its subscriber projection for its third-generation FOMA service by 20 percent to 2.4 million by the end of March, having seen faster-than-expected growth in the sector. Just three months ago, the country’s largest mobile phone operator upgraded its subscriber forecast from 1.46 million to 2 million. Yet the number of subscribers to its high-speed service already surpassed the company’s target on Jan. 29. (Japan Times)  
 
   
  DoCoMo chief eyes new services
Thursday, February 5, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. President Keiji Tachikawa has unveiled a plan to launch new services and impose a rate cut to counter the flat-rate data communication service offered by rival company KDDI Corp.’s au brand cell phones. Asked for his reaction to a sell-off move by AT&T Wireless Inc., a major U.S. cell phone company in which NTT DoCoMo has the largest stake, at 16 percent, Tachikawa said: "In the United States, there is unrelenting and fierce competition among telecom carriers. In a situation like that, merger plans can surface at any time. But we have our own strategy for the U.S. market and we still have time." (Yomiuri)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/4/2004
  DoCoMo on track with 3G service
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s top mobile phone operator, says it is on track to meet its full year earnings target as it steadily adds subscribers to its high-speed Internet-capable service. (CNN)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo April-December net profit tops fiscal 2002
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s top mobile phone operator, said it posted a net profit of 494.2 billion yen (4.68 billion dollars) in the nine months to December, topping the previous full-year figure despite tough competition. The company did not provide comparative figures but the nine-month net profit compared with 212.5 billion yen in the full year to March 2003 and accounted for nearly 80 percent of the 621 billion yen expected for the current year. (Channel News Asia)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/3/2004
  DoCoMo launches new Symbian F9009 series 3G handset
Tuesday, February 3, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo will start selling Fujitsu’s new Symbian OS 3G handset later this week as the F900i. It is the first of five new handsets planned in the 900i series and delivers advanced new features, including support for Macromedia Flash applications, HTML e-mail and avatars. (nice photo) (PMN)  
 
   
  Japan’s DoCoMo posts 9-month profit on 3G growth
Tuesday, February 3, 2004
  Summary Japan’s top mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo Inc on Wednesday posted a solid nine-month net profit as it steadily added subscribers to its high-speed Internet-capable service while keeping costs down. DoCoMo, Asia’s second-most valuable company after Toyota Motor Corp, said its consolidated net profit for the nine-month period from April to December was 494.25 billion yen ($4.69 billion) on revenue of 3.83 trillion yen. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/29/2004
  DoCoMo connects 3G FOMA video calls to Hong Kong
Thursday, January 29, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced that Japanese customers of its 3G FOMA -based WORLD CALL service will be able to exchange videophone calls with customers of compatible 3G / W-CDMA services offered by 3 HK in Hong Kong beginning February 6. To make a video call to Hong Kong, DoCoMo subscribers simply dial 009130-010-852 followed by the local mobile number of the 3 HK user. The cost is 44 yen per 10 seconds or 264 yen per minute. Users can also dial into any private LANs in Hong Kong for 64 kbps data transmissions. (3GNewsroom)  
 
   
  DoCoMo Doubles 3G Users In Four Months
Thursday, January 29, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, which is a partial owner and potential purchaser of AT&T Wireless, said Thursday that it now has more than two million subscribers for its 3G service in Japan. Expanded 3G coverage throughout Japan and the availability of new 3G handsets contributed to the rapid growth, the company said in its statement. In addition, the company said it expected a surge of new 3G users when it releases its forthcoming 900i series of smartphones. That device, based on Java and Macromedia Flash, will have a battery life three times longer than previous phones and will weigh 20 percent less, the company claims. (CMPNetAsia)  
 
   
  DoCoMo sponsors Renault F-1 team
Thursday, January 29, 2004
  Summary Japan’s top cell phone service provider NTT DoCoMo said Thursday its "i-mode" logo will adorn Renault’s Formula-One machines in a multi-year sponsorship deal beginning this season. (JapanToday)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/27/2004
  AT&T Wireless Stakeholder Makes a Move
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s biggest mobile phone operator, took a step on Tuesday to join the bidding war for AT&T Wireless, intensifying the intrigue and global gamesmanship gripping the cellular industry. DoCoMo presently owns 16 percent of AT&T Wireless and controls two seats on the company’s board. But in a filing on Tuesday, DoCoMo recused itself from evaluating bids for AT&T Wireless, a move widely understood to put DoCoMo itself in a position to join the auction. (New York Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/23/2004
  NTT DoCoMo to pull out of AOL
Friday, January 23, 2004
  Summary Japan’s top mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo is considering ending its business ties with America Online (AOL) by pulling out of its investment in their Japanese joint venture, a press report said. DoCoMo, which owns a 43.2 per cent stake in DoCoMo AOL, currently valued at 17 billion yen ($US157 million), will likely complete its exit plan by the end of the year, Kyodo News agency said Tuesday, citing sources close to the plan. A spokesman for NTT DoCoMo declined to confirm the report. The Japanese company first acquired a 42.3 stake in the firm for 14.9 billion yen in 2001 and increased its holding later, the spokesman said. (Australian IT)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/22/2004
  DoCoMo gains from AT&T mobile bid
Thursday, January 22, 2004
  Summary Japan’s biggest phone firm, NTT DoCoMo, has seen its shares gain on the back of a potential bidding battle in the US mobile market. The firm’s finances have long suffered as its numerous stakes in foreign mobile operators have slumped in value. But now both DoCoMo and US operator Cingular, reports say, are looking to take control at US firm AT&T Wireless - in which DoCoMo has a 17% stake. DoCoMo’s shares rose 5,000 yen to 237,000 yen, bucking a falling market. Earlier on Wednesday, the company’s shares had risen as much as 5%. (BBC)  
 
   
  Japan’s DoCoMo Unlikely to Bid for AT&T Wireless
Thursday, January 22, 2004
  Summary Japan’s largest wireless company, NTT DoCoMo Inc, is unlikely to bid in the $30 billion auction for U.S. mobile phone operator AT&T Wireless Services Inc for fear of a shareholder backlash, company sources and analysts said on Thursday. DoCoMo, which already owns a 16 percent stake in the third-largest U.S. mobile operator, has explored the possibility of a deal but is unlikely to put in a bid because shareholders as well as some company executives of DoCoMo and parent Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp would probably oppose it, they said. NTT owns about 63 percent of DoCoMo. The reasons: DoCoMo’s earlier attempts to expand overseas ended in failure, the company has no experience in managing a non-Japanese company, a deal could run into U.S. political opposition and DoCoMo would face stiff competition in the cut-throat U.S. wireless market, analysts said. (Reuters)  
 
   
  AT&T Wireless to Mull Takeover Bids
Thursday, January 22, 2004
  Summary AT&T Wireless Services Inc. said for the first time on Thursday it would weigh buyout bids as it posted an unexpected quarterly loss amid a range of problems expected to keep driving customers away. AT&T Wireless, the No. 3 U.S. wireless provider, said it was considering its strategic options after it had received takeover interest from U.S. and international companies. "We’ve had multiple approaches from multiple sources," Chief Executive John Zeglis told Reuters. "We’ve got a process going here and we’re not going to be rushed. It encompasses a lot of players and we’ll be very thorough, very deliberate." AT&T Wireless has been linked with several potential suitors including Cingular Wireless and Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc., Britain’s Vodafone Group Plc and Nextel Communications Inc. in recent days. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/20/2004
  NTT DoCoMo to Launch Mmanga Content on M-stage Book
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced January 19 that it will begin offering manga (comics) content on DoCoMo’s M-stage book visual content distribution service, on February 3. Incorporating Celsys’ scroll view function that is featured in the ComicSurfing manga viewer application, the service enables PDA and other mobile device users to read manga content just like they do with ordinary, paper-based comics. (JapanCorp.Net)  
 
   
  NTT Smart Card to Support 2 Intl Standards
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
  Summary Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp plans to develop a smart card that supports two international standards: FeliCa, developed by Sony Corp, and Type B, the standard used for Japan’s national resident registry network, popularly known as Juki Net. NTT plans to begin developing the smart card this spring and have a practical version ready before the end of the year. The new smart card will incorporate a chip installed with programming that supports the protocols used by both FeliCa and Type B. NTT group firm NTT Communications Corp. will be responsible for development. The product can be manufactured for about the same cost as a smart card that supports only one of these protocols. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/16/2004
  Moody’s revises up DoCoMo outlook on 3G progress
Friday, January 16, 2004
  Summary Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc on Friday got a shot of confidence from Moody’s Investors Service as the ratings agency raised the outlook for DoCoMo’s debt ratings, citing an expansion of its third-generation (3G) service. Moody’s changed its outlook to stable from negative on DoCoMo’s Aa1 senior long-term debt ratings. DoCoMo is Japan’s dominant mobile carrier and operates a high-speed 3G service called "FOMA". "In Moody’s opinion, with its continued introduction of enhanced handsets and service quality, DoCoMo should continue to grow FOMA subscribers, taking advantage of rising user interest in higher value-added services," Moody’s said in a statement. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/15/2004
  Docomo to Launch i-Mode Disaster Message Board Service
Thursday, January 15, 2004
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (TSE: 9437) and its eight regional subsidiaries announced today the launch of an i-mode wireless internet access Disaster Message Board service beginning from January 17, allowing i-mode subscribers in Japan to post personal messages at a special i-mode site (provided in Japanese only) in the event of major calamities such as high-magnitude earthquakes. Under the present network system, there may be instances in the case of a major disaster where the flow of both voice calls and data packet transmissions would have to be controlled. This would be necessary to prevent degradation in network performance due to congestion from the anticipated flood of calls. (TelephonyWorld)  
 
   
  DoCoMo shares weak on AT&T Wireless merger talks
Thursday, January 15, 2004
  Summary Shares in Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc fell on Thursday on a report it was in talks to acquire No. 3 U.S. wireless operator AT&T Wireless Services Inc, in which DoCoMo already has a 16 percent stake. A spokesman for DoCoMo declined to comment on the report, while analysts and investors questioned the wisdom of such a deal for DoCoMo. Shares in Japan’s largest mobile phone operator fell as much as 2.5 percent before settling a bit at 237,000 by midday, off 1.3 percent from Wednesday’s close. "Would this just be an investment?...What synergies are in this for DoCoMo?" asked Akihide Kinugawa, fund manager at T&D Asset Management. "There are a lot of questions but the only certainty is that this would cost them a whole lot of money." (Forbes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/29/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to sponsor Renault F1 team
Monday, December 29, 2003
  Summary Japan’s top mobile phone service provider NTT DoCoMo will sponsor the Renault Formula-One team to promote its "i-mode" Internet-accesible service worldwide. NTT DoCoMo Inc. is expected to make a formal announcement on the sponsorship for the French racing team at the end of January, the Kyodo news agency said Monday citing company officials. (Channel News Asia)  
 
   
  KPN declines to say if i-mode goal reached
Monday, December 29, 2003
  Summary Dutch telecoms group KPN declined to say on Monday whether it would achieve its goal of one million subscribers for its mobile Internet service i-mode by end-2003, with only three days to go. KPN, the first European operator to licence i-mode from NTT DoCoMo after its runaway success in Japan, had aimed for one million subsribers by the end of 2003 after rolling out the service in March 2002. "We will not reveal any operational figures or subscriber figures until February 23, when we release our full-year results," KPN spokesman Marinus Potman said. (Rueters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/23/2003
  NTT DoCoMo Unveils New 3G FOMA 900i Series Handsets
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc unveiled the new FOMA 900i series, 3G FOMA i-mode mobile phones featuring a Macromedia Flash-equipped browser, HTML e-mail and avatar-capable videophone. Takeshi Natsuno of NTT DoCoMo at the press conference The five handset models come from Fujitsu Ltd, NEC Corp, Panasonic Mobile Communications Co Ltd, Sharp Corp and Mitsubishi Electric Co Ltd. NTT DoCoMo plans to market those models from February 2004. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/22/2003
  DoCoMo Systems to Launch Cell Phone Home Monitoring Service
Monday, December 22, 2003
  Summary DoCoMo Systems Inc, a joint venture between Secom Co Ltd and NTT DoCoMo Inc, will launch this month a home security service that enables users to remotely check the settings and status of their home security systems by using Internet-capable cellular phones. The service combines Secom’s MS-3 multifunction condominium security system, released in July, and a home equipment remote control system that DoCoMo Systems unveiled at the end of last year. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/19/2003
  NTT DoCoMo does it again
Friday, December 19, 2003
  Summary Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo today unveiled the FOMA 900i series, a new range of 3G FOMA i-mode mobile phones, all of which feature a Macromedia Flash-equipped browser, HTML e-mail and avatar-capable videophone. Compared with the original series of FOMA phones, 900i models offer three times longer standby and weigh 20 percent less. The 900i series will boast the first 3G phones equipped with a Macromedia Flash browser. Flash applications of up to 100K are possible, compared with 20K in 2G mova 505i series. The new series will also handle richer, more sophisticated online games. Java-based i-appli applications offer a 400K scratch pad and have a maximum capacity of 100K for content/archiving, compared with 200K and 30K in existing models. All 900i series handsets will be equipped with high-resolution mega-pixel cameras, ranging up to two mega-pixels and offering 20x digital zoom, and they will also have slots for memory cards, mainly in mini-SD formats. (Infosync)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo to invest 37 billion yen in Linux, Symbian phone research
Friday, December 19, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. is planning to provide money to six cellular telephone makers to help them develop advanced handsets based on the Symbian and Linux operating systems and high-speed data communications technology, it said Friday. The company will provide a total of 37 billion (US$344 million) between April 2004 and March 2006 to Fujitsu Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Motorola Japan Ltd., NEC Corp., Panasonic Mobile Communications Co. Ltd. and Sharp Corp., said Takuya Ori, a spokesman for NTT DoCoMo in Tokyo. (IDG)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/18/2003
  Japan’s NTT DoCoMo to pull out of Brazil
Thursday, December 18, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s largest mobile phone operator, said on Thursday it was closing its Brazilian unit and had reached an agreement to sell its stake in Brazilian mobile phone holding company Sudeste Cel Participacoes SA. DoCoMo acquired a small stake in the holding company after it was formed to include Tele Sudeste Celular, which controls regional mobile phone carriers Telerj Celular SA and Telest Celular SA. The Japanese company bought a 3.6 percent stake in Tele Sudeste Celular in September 1998 for about 95 million reais, or about 10.4 billion yen ($97 million) at the time. DoCoMo said its investment is currently valued at about 1.8 billion yen, and it has already written off the loss in value. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  Japan’s DoCoMo Unveils New Line of Advanced Phones
Thursday, December 18, 2003
  Summary Japan’s largest mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo Inc., on Thursday unveiled five new phones for next year that let consumers play fast-action games, send email with graphics, and download bigger files in a bid to fuel demand for its advanced wireless service. The introduction of the new lineup has been anticipated as an indication of DoCoMo’s ability to capture new customers in 2004 for its two-year old 3G (third-generation) service known as FOMA. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/15/2003
  NTT DoCoMo’s Latest Cellphone Handset Incorporates HI’s Image Animation Tool
Monday, December 15, 2003
  Summary Mobile 3D rendering technology pioneer HI has announced that its "Mascot Capsule Engine Face Edition (Face)," a communication support tool for email and chat users, has been incorporated into the N505iS, NTT DoCoMo’s latest cellular phone handset from NEC. Face enables N505iS users to render their face images with animated icons to express their emotions, before actually emailing the pictures. The animated images offer graphically rich interactions between the cellphone users. (JapanCorp.Net)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/12/2003
  NTT DoCoMo sees first fall in i-mode subscriptions
Friday, December 12, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. has recorded its first weekly slide in the number of subscriptions to its i-mode wireless Internet service, the company said Thursday. The Tokyo carrier counted 40,132,000 subscriptions to I-mode on Dec. 7, which is a drop of 12,000 compared to the total on Nov. 30, according to data published on its Web site. Part of the reason for the fall was due to cancellations of delinquent accounts that are made at the beginning of each month, said Tomoko Homma, a spokeswoman for NTT DoCoMo. She said the carrier expects to end December with net I-mode subscriber growth. (IDG)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/10/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Launch Three New Models in mova 505iS Series
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and its eight regional subsidiaries today announced the coming release of three new handsets in the 2G mova 505iS series: the SO505iS, a mega-pixel camera phone equipped to play extended-length video files; the N505iS, the first NEC-made camera phone in the mova lineup with 1.3 mega-pixel resolution; and the SH505iS, which comes with a 2.02 mega-pixel, auto-focus camera. The N505iS will be released on December 10, 2003 and the SO505iS and SH505iS will be released on December 12, 2003. (MobileMag)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/8/2003
  Why DoCoMo endorsement of Linux is a big deal
Monday, December 8, 2003
  Summary At first glance, the news item earlier this week didn’t look that significant: NTT DoCoMo, the huge Japanese telecom, announced it will urge its handset suppliers to build Linux-based phones. So? Lots of companies urge other companies to do things every day. Big deal. That’s exactly what it is. A big deal. We’re about to watch the famous trickle-down theory start to work wonders for Linux mobile development. (IT Managers Journal)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo to invest $10M in China fund
Monday, December 8, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will invest $10 million later this month in a venture capital fund that targets digital media and information technology start-ups in China, it said Monday. The investment will be made into the Gobi Fund, which is operated by Cayman Islands-based Gobi Fund Inc. with a subsidiary office in Shanghai, NTT DoCoMo said in a statement. The Tokyo-based carrier said it hopes for both a reasonable return and the ability to develop new businesses and technical tie-ups with the Chinese through the investment. (InfoWorld)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo tests superfast mobile phone
Monday, December 8, 2003
  Summary Japan’s top mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo has developed a test model of a cell phone that offers both its superfast third-generation mobile service and a wireless local area network Internet phone service. But the Tokyo-based company said Friday that no decision has been made on when the dual-functionality model will become available. (Seattle Post)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/5/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Launch Handset Compatible with FOMA, Wireless LAN to Expand Customer Base
Friday, December 5, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. announced on December 2 that it has created a prototype of a new mobile phone that is compatible with its third-generation (3G) mobile phone service called "FOMA" and the wireless LAN. The new phone, based on NEC Corp's FOMA-capable handset, will likely be launched in the spring of 2004. The new folding-type mobile phone can perform "stand by" in the FOMA mode and the wireless LAN mode simultaneously. In the wireless LAN mode, the user of the handset makes a phone call by using the voice over IP (VoIP) technology. If a company has an in-house extension telephone network using VoIP, the employees of the company can use the handset as a wireless internal phone by connecting it to wireless LAN base stations in the office. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  DoCoMo Expands its 3G Service Area
Friday, December 5, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced an expansion of its FOMA 3G network to cover 99.4% of the population in the Kanto-Koshinetsu region. Its eight regional subsidiaries will also expand FOMA service to an area encompassing approximately 98% of the nationwide population by the end of December. DoCoMo is also significantly increasing the number of FOMA base stations in existing service areas from 3,200 locations in the Kanto-Koshinetsu region and 10,700 nationwide by the end of December. (Converge Digest)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/4/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Promote Symbian OS for FOMA 3G Phones
Thursday, December 4, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc has decided to promote use of both Symbian Ltd’s open-standard operating system and the Linux operating system for its own FOMA 3G (third generation) wireless handsets. Until now, most FOMA handsets have used either TRON or proprietary operating systems developed by individual handset makers. DoCoMo expects use of Symbian OS and Linux to help reduce production costs and encourage wider acceptance of FOMA handsets. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo sees 25 mln 3G users in 2006
Thursday, December 4, 2003
  Summary Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Thursday it expected the number of users of its high-speed third-generation (3G) mobile phones to grow more than 15-fold to 25 million by 2006, helped by improved handsets and wider coverage. "We expect our total users to be around 50 million in 2006 and half of them will be 3G users," NTT DoCoMo Chief Executive Keiji Tachikawa told a regular news conference. Tachikawa said the number of subscribers to its two-year old 3G service, which offers video conferencing and speedy Web access, exceeded 1.6 million as of Wednesday. Its total users numbered 45.2 million at the end of October. Tachikawa’s comments came as DoCoMo faces stiff competition from its rivals, particularly KDDI Corp, which has attracted more than 10 million 3G users with competitive pricing. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/3/2003
  DoCoMo develops prototype 3G/WLAN dual-mode phones
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
  Summary Japan’s top wireless carrier, NTT DoCoMo Inc, said on Tuesday it had developed a prototype dual-mode handset that works on the third-generation (3G) network and wireless local area networks (LANs). The hybrid handsets, targetted at corporate clients, can be used as regular 3G phones outside office, and allow users to have high-speed access to their company servers in offices equipped with a wireless LAN. DoCoMo’s 3G service, based on W-CDMA network has a top speed of 384 kilobits per second, while a typical wireless LAN service offers transmission speeds of around 11 megabits per second, which is 28 times faster than the 3G service. DoCoMo aims to launch the commercial version of the hybrid handsets in the next business year starting in April in an effort to boost its 3G user base. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/2/2003
  DoCoMo to offer Linux-based 3G phones
Tuesday, December 2, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc , Japan’s top mobile operator, aims to offer third-generation (3G) handsets that run on the Linux-based operating system (OS) as early as the second half of 2004, a source close to the firm said on Tuesday. Linux software is free and can be copied or modified, unlike rival Microsoft Corp’s software, and has become popular among companies looking to lower the cost of using computer systems. DoCoMo has already offered handset makers specifications of the kind of Linux-based OS suitable for its 3G handsets in order to help them cut development and manufacturing costs, the source said. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/1/2003
  Renault and NTT DoCoMo F1 Sponsorship
Monday, December 1, 2003
  Summary There have been rumors in recent days suggesting that Renault F1 in on the verge of announcing a new sponsorship deal with mobile phone giant NTT DoCoMo, the wireless company that was spun off from Nippon Telegraph and Telephone. NTT DoCoMo is one of the biggest mobile phone operators in the world and is in competition with Ferrari sponsor Vodafone. The deal makes a lot of sense because NTT DoCoMo is closely linked to Renault’s Japanese partner Nissan, developing automotive multimedia services, which the two companies hope to be able market worldwide in the future, their aim being to sell the service to other automobile companies. (GrandPrix.com)  
 
   
  Sony to Separate Part of a Business for FeliCa Joint Venture with NTT DoCoMo
Monday, December 1, 2003
  Summary At present, 38 million cards using FeliCa chips have been issued worldwide. This new company will develop the technology for a new IC chip, tentatively named "mobile FeliCa IC," that will integrate mobile phones with FeliCa technology. This new company will then implement production and sales licensing agreements with chip manufacturers, and work to create a platform whereby content providers can offer mobile services that feature both flexibility and security. The mobile FeliCa IC and service platform will be developed in an open environment and provided to the widest possible range of mobile telecommunications operators and content providers. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/28/2003
  DoCoMo buys back 47 bln yen worth of own shares
Friday, November 28, 2003
  Summary Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Friday it had bought back 47.4 billion yen ($434 million) worth of its own shares as part of its plan to repurchase up to 600 billion yen worth of shares in the business year to March. DoCoMo, Japan’s top wireless carrier controlling 57 percent of the domestic cellphone market, bought back 199,606 shares, equivalent to 0.4 percent of its total shares outstanding as of September 30, between November 17 and 28. It brought the total value of DoCoMo’s repurchases so far this year to 242.3 billion yen. That means DoCoMo still aims to buy up to 357.7 billion yen worth of its own shares by March. (Forbes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/26/2003
  DoCoMo unit releases customer info without consent
Wednesday, November 26, 2003
  Summary An Osaka unit of NTT DoCoMo Inc provided its customers’ names and addresses to a research company between 2001 and 2003 without their consent, the company said Wednesday. NTT DoCoMo Kansai Inc, a unit of Japan’s largest cell phone group, denied any wrongdoing, saying its actions were permitted under government guidelines. (Kyodo News)  
 
   
  Japan’s DoCoMo says no takeover plan for mmO2
Wednesday, November 26, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Tuesday it had no plan to take over British mobile phone operator mmO2, denying a weekend report in Britain that mmO2 could be a bid target for Japan’s top wireless carrier. "Our partner in Britain is 3 UK. We hold a stake in the company. We are not considering acquiring mmO2," a DoCoMo spokeswoman said. MmO2 also said on Monday that it was not in merger and acquisition talks with any company. (Forbes)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo to Introduce FOMA CompactFlash Card
Wednesday, November 26, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced that it will market P2402, the first FOMA CompactFlash card that will enable 3G videophone and other wireless data communications via PCs and PDAs such as DoCoMos sigmarion III, beginning November 28, 2003. The new flash card will enable PDA users to begin enjoying FOMA services, as DoCoMo presently provides the PC typed FOMA card that is only applicable to PCs with PC card slots (3G Newsroom)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/24/2003
  DoCoMo could target mmO2 for takeover
Monday, November 24, 2003
  Summary MMO2 has emerged as a possible takeover target for the Japanese mobile phones giant NTT DoCoMo. According to industry sources, a bid for the former BT Cellnet business, valued at 6 billion, is the most radical option being considered to revamp DoCoMos European strategy in the wake of a disastrous launch by new operator Three, in which DoCoMo has a 20 per cent stake. Management at Three have been given until the New Year to show they are sorting out the business. It also needs to take steps to implement DoCoMos successful i-Mode technology, which gives users access to a wide range of digital content. DoCoMo has strengthened its European presence and chief executive Keiji Tachikawa has recently briefed bankers and investors. (Scotsman)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/18/2003
  DoCoMo plans up to Y400 bln in share buybacks in H2
Tuesday, November 18, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s largest mobile phone operator, said on Tuesday it aims to buy back up to 400 billion yen ($3.7 billion) worth of its own shares in the second half of the business year to next March. "We are tentatively planning to repurchase up to 200 billion yen worth of shares each in the third and fourth quarter," DoCoMo Chief Executive Keiji Tachikawa told Reuters in an interview. "It is unclear if we can buy them all back, though. It’s partly up to market conditions." (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/17/2003
  Intel Wants Japan
Monday, November 17, 2003
  Summary Dow Jones reports that the world’s largest chip maker Intel is looking to form a joint venture (JV) with Japan’s dominant cell-phone operator NTT DoCoMo. DoCoMo, with 57% of Japan’s cell-phone market, would co-develop cell-phone chip technology for a budding third-generation (3G) and the 2010 fourth-generation (4G) segment. Intel will be entering a market with entrenched powerhouses. The cell-phone chip market is dominated by Texas Instruments and Motorola. Last year TI sold two-thirds of the semiconductors used in cell phones. (Motley Fool)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/14/2003
  DoCoMo teams up with Intel to develop cell phone chip
Friday, November 14, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc and Intel Corp will join forces to develop a multitasking next-generation chip for cell phones, a major Japanese business daily reported Saturday. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun said NTT DoCoMo and Intel aim to develop a chip primarily for DoCoMo’s FOMA cell phones to handle multiple tasks such as audio and data communications and image processing. (JapanToday)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/12/2003
  DoCoMo unit propels profit growth at NTT
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
  Summary Nippon Telegraph Telephone said Tuesday that profit in the first half of its financial year grew more than tenfold to a record as its mobile-phone venture, NTT DoCoMo, enjoyed strong growth in subscriptions for its third-generation phone service. The better-than-expected earnings confirmed that Japan’s telecommunications industry is on the mend after a dismal 2001 and 2002. NTT and other carriers have been slashing prices for their fixed and mobile-phone services, attracting new customers and encouraging others to use their phones and data connections more. NTT holds 62 percent of DoCoMo, Japan’s largest mobile-phone company, which controls more than 55 percent of Japan’s mobile market, valued at $70 billion. Last month, DoCoMo said it expected to earn record profit in the full year and it raised its sales target by 2.7 percent. DoCoMo has been buoyed by sales of what it calls FOMA, its third-generation phones that transmit data, pictures and music clips at up to 40 times the speed of conventional phones. Overall mobile-phone shipments in Japan grew 20.6 percent in September from the same month a year ago, according to industry statistics. (International Herald Tribune)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/11/2003
  DoCoMo and KDDI Pushing the Envelope and Raking in Profits
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
  Summary Just as we thought things are gearing up this month, Japans number one and two carriers have really pulled some goodies out of their bag. Weve already talked about KDDI and flat fees, but this weeks subject is profits for the carriers and a grab bag of gains for subscribers. If ever there was a reason not to keep your eyes fixed on Japans wireless communications, wed like to know. DoCoMo trumped itself recently announcing profits, Felicia Mobile commerce with Sony, and now (finally) some concrete plans to expand i-mode. We have the innards of DoCoMos recent press conference up for you in this weeks video program. (Requires registration). (Wireless Watch Japan)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo Introduces the World’s First Auto-Focus Camera Phone
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and its eight regional subsidiaries today announced the release of the mova P505iS, the world’s first camera phone equipped with auto focus, on November 12, 2003. The P505iS is the second handset model released in the new 505iS series, a series of five PDC (2G) i-mode-capable mobile phones featuring mega-pixel cameras. The model’s 1.28 mega-pixel CCD camera is equipped with auto-focus for sharp, clear photos. The new handset has a 65,536-color TFT main LCD that doubles as a viewfinder, just like the viewfinder on a digital camera. The display-half of the body slides open (parallel to the lower body, like a jackknife), because the display is located on the outside of the body. When open, the display can also be rotated 180 degrees to face the same direction as the camera (for self-portraits, etc.). (MobileMag)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/7/2003
  Stick it in your ear! The finger phone is coming
Friday, November 7, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo is developing a wireless phone worn like a wristwatch. Calls are begun and ended by touching forefinger to thumb. But the most interesting part is that the bones of the hand are used to conduct sound from the device, and sticking one’s forefinger in one’s ear allows one to hear the call. Dialing is done with a voice command, directed at the wristband which contains the phone’s mouthpiece, sort of like Dick Tracey of comic strip fame. DoCoMo is also working on a version that analyzed mouth muscle movements to generate sound. This feature would require resting the thumb and two fingers on the cheek and upper lip while speaking. (San Jose Business Journal)  
 
   
  Greece’s Cosmote rises on DoCoMo Internet tech deal
Friday, November 7, 2003
  Summary Shares in Greek mobile phone operator Cosmote gained more than two percent on Friday after the firm agreed to licence an Internet technology already a runaway success in Japan. Japan’s dominant wireless carrier, NTT DoCoMo Inc, said it would licence its i-mode technology to Greece’s biggest mobile operator by clients. I-mode allows users to access the Internet and use e-mail on matchbox-sized handset screens. It could be Cosmote’s answer to a similar product by rival Vodafone-Panafon, traders said. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/5/2003
  NTT DoCoMo: Spam, Spam Go Away
Wednesday, November 5, 2003
  Summary No doubt spam is a pest in your electronic life. Frustrations are running so high that even the U.S. Congress is considering legislation to put a stop to it. On the wireless front, NTT DoCoMo is trying to do its part by arming its i-mode users with an e-mail blocking feature. Beginning Jan. 8, 2004, the feature, which will be set as a default setting on i-mode handsets, will enable users to automatically reject e-mails sent from any i-mode handset that sends more than 200 messages per day. Users will have the ability to turn off the anti-spam feature if they so wish. (Wireless Week)  
 
   
  DoCoMo, AOL opens Warner Bros official i-mode site
Wednesday, November 5, 2003
  Summary NTT Docomo, in cooperation with THINKWARE, launched November 4 "CinemaStyle-i," the first Warner Bros. Entertainment’s official website for cellphone users. The i-mode website offers a wide variety of movie content including opening information, latest news, movie rankings, and e-zines, all for free. With an additional monthly fee of 280 yen ($2.55), i-mode users can download a series of wallpaper images and ring-tones. They also receive invitations to movie preview parties. The new service supports PDC and FOMA cellphone handsets. (JapanCorp.Net)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/4/2003
  NTT DoCoMo Develops FOMA Compact Flash Card for Use with Videophone
Tuesday, November 4, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that it has developed the first FOMA(R) compact flash card, the P2402, which will enable 3G videophone and other wireless data communication via PCs and PDAs, such as DoCoMo’s sigmarion(R) III. The sales launch will be announced as soon as it is fixed. The P2402 will offer high-speed packet transmissions of up to 384 kbps for downlinks and 64 kbps for uplinks, as well as 64 kbps for circuit-switched data transmissions. DoCoMo’s new flash memory card will enable videophone calls between a PC and a FOMA handset, Lookwalk(R) P751v PHS videophone, P-in Free(tm) series PHS data card-equipped device or ISDN fixed-line videophone (requires a PC equipped with videophone software, USB compatible web camera and headset). (JapanCorp.Net)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/3/2003
  DoCoMo earnings draws mixed views after H1 results
Monday, November 3, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s top mobile phone operator, drew mixed views from analysts on Friday after it posted a fall in half-year operating profit a day earlier, but nudged up its full-year net profit forecast. Nomura Securities cut its rating on DoCoMo to 3 from 2, while Nikko Citigroup, a joint venture between U.S. financial giant Citigroup and Japan’s third-ranked brokerage, Nikko Cordial Corp, raised its DoCoMo rating to buy from hold. DoCoMo said on Thursday group operating profit fell 7.8 percent, marking a year-on-year drop for the first time since its stock market listing in 1998 due to higher handset replacement demand amid a red-hot photo phone boom. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/29/2003
  DoCoMo shares fall as H1 oper profit seen down
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
  Summary Shares in NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s top wireless operator, fell more than four percent on Wednesday after sources close to the company said it is likely to post a year-on-year fall in half-year group operating profit. It would be the first year-on-year drop in DoCoMo’s operating profit since its listing on the stock market in 1998. The decline results from costs associated with DoCoMo’s stepped-up sales campaign to promote its high-speed third-generation (3G) service called FOMA, the sources said. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/28/2003
  Sony, NTT DoCoMo to Form Joint Venture for Contactless IC Card Business for Cell Phones
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
  Summary Sony Corp and NTT DoCoMo Inc jointly announced on Oct 27 that they have agreed to form a joint venture company to develop new services based on mobile phones equipped with Sony’s contactless IC Card technology called FeliCa. The joint venture, to be called FeliCa Networks Inc, is targeted for establishment in January 2004. The new company will be capitalized at 6 billion yen, with the investment portion of Sony at 60% and NTT DoCoMo at 40%. "Sony began developing the FeliCa in 1988, and business use of the technology became widespread following the deployment of the technology in Hong Kong transport systems in 1997," said Nobuyuki Idei, chairman and group CEO of Sony. FeliCa is now used in JR East’s (East Japan Railway Co’s) Suica system, as well as in a number of transport systems around the world. Other applications include the "Edy" electronic money service, the "eLIO" online credit service and various company/organizational ID security systems." At present, 38 million cards using FeliCa chips have been issued worldwide, added Idei. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  Sony and NTT DoCoMo Join on "Smart Card" Phones
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
  Summary Sony Corp. and NTT DoCoMo plan to cooperate in developing a system that will allow people to use their cell phones to pay for train tickets or buy items in stores. A FeliCa Networks joint venture will be set up in Tokyo in January and will develop a new chip that integrates mobile phones with smart card technology developed by Sony. The smart cards, which have an integrated circuit chip embedded in them, can communicate with special equipment that allows card-owners to pass through train station gates or make payments at cash registers in stores. Sony will be a 60 percent investor in the 6 billion yen ($55 million) venture, and NTT DoCoMo will invest the other 40 percent. NTT DoCoMo plans to test the service with 6,000 mobile phones in December in Japan, and handsets with the technology will probably go on sale here by the middle of next year. Promoters believe the FeliCa technology has the potential to grow into a global standard, and NTT DoCoMo said it hopes to offer the service overseas. (Yahoo! Asia News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/24/2003
  Sony declines to confirm partnership with DoCoMo
Friday, October 24, 2003
  Summary Sony Corp is studying ways to let consumers use their cellphones to buy groceries at convenience stores, pick up the tab for lunch and pay train fares, the company said yesterday. The electronics giant already has its own smart card payment service called "Edy" -- an acronym for "euro, dollar, yen" -- which is accepted by about 2,700 stores in Japan. Sony said its working on using the same computer chip technology, called FeliCa, in cellphones. About 2.7 million Edy cards are currently in circulation. But the company declined to confirm a newspaper report yesterday that it would tie up with NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japans largest mobile telephone provider, which accounts for roughly 60 percent of the cellphone market. (Taipei Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/22/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Sell New Mobile Phones with Anti-virus Software
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said on October 17 that it is now developing anti-virus software in cooperation with a US Internet security service company Network Associates Technology Inc and it will launch in 2004 new mobile phones with anti-virus software pre-installed. For the time being, the company will embed software in the handset. But in the future, it is likely that the company will offer software update downloads for its mobile phone users. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo Introduces 505iS Series 2G Handsets with 2M-pixel Camera
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
  Summary NTT Do Como, Inc announced the new move 505iS series of five PDC (2G) i-mode mobile phones, successors of D505i series, featuring mega-pixel cameras for every model. The first model D505iS will be released on October 23, followed consecutive release of the other four models in the near future. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/21/2003
  DoCoMo, Sony to Form JV for Smart Card Chip-Sources
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc and Sony Corp have agreed to form a joint venture to produce smart card chips for use in cell phones, Sony and DoCoMo sources said on Wednesday. Sony will take more than a 50 percent stake in the venture, which will be formed by the end of October, a DoCoMo source said. "Sony and DoCoMo have been engaged in experiments to develop cell phones with built-in smart card chips for quite a few years and the two parties are now discussing forming a joint venture," a Sony source said." (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/17/2003
  DoCoMo teams with McAfee on wireless antivirus
Friday, October 17, 2003
  Summary Network Associates, which makes the McAfee antivirus product line, said on Friday it is collaborating with NTT DoCoMo on an antivirus engine for mobile phones, in an effort to head off the threat of malicious code on increasingly advanced wireless devices. The company said it has already produced a working prototype of its McAfee antivirus engine for DoCoMo mobile phones. The two companies have been working together since last May, although the partnership was not announced until now. (ZDNet)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/15/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Introduce Software Renewal Systems for Handsets
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said it will introduce pre-installed software renewal systems allowing users of 2G PDC mova and 3G W-CDMA FOMA handsets to access the DoCoMo server and download new software for upgrades using their own handsets beginning October 17, 2003. The system will enable users to update software to deal with glitches, without visiting DoCoMo shops. In future, DoCoMo will also consider applying the new system to enhance software capabilities of handsets. The new system is applicable only to DoCoMo’s latest i-mode handset, the mova 252i series, which is already being marketed. In future, all new handsets for mova and FOMA are scheduled to be equipped with the system. Downloading new software will be free of charge. Communication fee during downloading software also will be free. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/13/2003
  NTT DoCoMo racing ahead on broadband
Monday, October 13, 2003
  Summary Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc. may be rolling out new wireless broadband products faster than its customers can embrace them. But that isn’t keeping the Japanese cellular operator from seeking ways to generate interest in its high-speed mobile network services. A new series of handsets for the carrier’s 3G Foma service will be launched in February and have integrated cameras that allow users to take pictures at resolutions of up to 2 million pixels, compared to current second-generation (2G) models offering 1.3 million pixels, Kinoshita said. A dual-mode phone for 3G and wireless LAN (WLAN) networks is slated for the third quarter of 2004. (Computerworld)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo/UK Partners: Six-Month Timeframe With 3 UK
Monday, October 13, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said Monday that it was looking for partners to launch its i-mode mobile phone service in the U.K. The comments by President and Chief Executive Keiji Tachikawa, are the first public signs of a split between NTT DoCoMo and 3 UK, the mobile operator in which it holds a 20% stake. Tachikawa told reporters at the ITU Telecom World event in Geneva: "We are in negotiations with different operators who are willing to provide i-mode in the UK." 3 UK’s largest shareholder is Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. KPN NV’s (KPN) mobile arm is also a shareholder, although its status is unclear because of legal action. Tachikawa said that despite seeking an alternative partner in the U.K. he wouldn’t sell NTT DoCoMo’s 3 UK stake, believing that 3 UK can increase its subscriber base. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/10/2003
  DoCoMo 3G deal makes Symbian big in Japan
Friday, October 10, 2003
  Summary London-based Symbian is stepping up its drive into Japan’s 3G market. A development agreement with NTT DoCoMo, the nation’s dominant mobile phone player, could ultimately influence what software powers 3G handsets in Europe, the US and other nascent next-generation industries. (ZDNet)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/6/2003
  NTT DoCoMo units sue over taxes levied
Monday, October 6, 2003
  Summary Nine NTT DoCoMo group firms have filed suit with the Tokyo District Court seeking to nullify about 12 billion yen in taxes levied by nine tax offices that disagreed with the firms’ interpretation that their ownership of PHS line rights purchased from an affiliate could be depreciated in a single fiscal year. According to the lawsuit, the nine companies, including NTT DoCoMo Inc. and regional headquarters, purchased the line usage rights for 72,800 yen each, for a total of about 28 billion yen, from defunct NTT Personal when taking over its PHS business in December 1998. (Daily Yomiuri)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/3/2003
  NTT DoCoMo 3G users hit one million
Friday, October 3, 2003
  Summary Japan’s dominant mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo Inc, said on Wednesday the number of subscribers to its high-speed third-generation (3G) service had reached one million. But DoCoMo’s 3G operation, launched in October 2001, is still far behind that of rival KDDI Corp in the number of users. KDDI’s "au" mobile unit, which offers 3G on a different technological format, has more than 10 million subscribers to the advanced service. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/26/2003
  Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy on Docomo phone
Friday, September 26, 2003
  Summary Japan’s ever-evolving cellular phone service will soon add blockbuster role-playing videogames Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy to its content menu. Top domestic mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo Inc and game maker Square Enix Co Ltd said on Thursday users of DoCoMo’s third-generation Foma service will be able to play the popular games early next year on its new handsets. The new content is seen as a potential boost to DoCoMo’s 3G service, which offers vidoeconferencing and fast Web access service. (Forbes)  
 
   
  Mobile software firm Symbian hails NTT DoCoMo pact
Friday, September 26, 2003
  Summary Wireless software developer Symbian announced a deal on Friday to supply Japan’s largest mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo, claiming a key victory in its battle to power the next generation of smart phones. Symbian, which competes with software giant Microsoft and is owned by some of the world’s biggest handset makers, said the deal with NTT DoCoMo was not exclusive but represented "a huge vote of confidence" in Symbian software. Industry analyst Richard Windsor, of Japanese investment bank Nomura, agreed the deal was a milestone for Symbian, whose major shareholders are Finland’s Nokia, the world’s largest mobile phone operator, and UK software firm Psion Plc. "It’s a key win for Symbian," he said. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/22/2003
  DoCoMo Shrinks Its Bases
Monday, September 22, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced the development of micro base stations for the 3G network that are up to 1/30th the size of conventional base stations. The service area of the FOMA service has expanded steadily, which will reach 96% of the population nationwide by the end of September. The micro base stations will allow DoCoMo to expand FOMA service more economically and with greater flexibility for adaptation to operational environments. (Unstrung)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/18/2003
  Mobile software firm Symbian hails NTT DoCoMo pact
Thursday, September 18, 2003
  Summary Wireless software developer Symbian announced a deal on Friday to supply Japan’s largest mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo 9437.T , claiming a key victory in its battle to power the next generation of smart phones. Symbian, which competes with software giant Microsoft and is owned by some of the world’s biggest handset makers, said the deal with NTT DoCoMo was not exclusive but represented "a huge vote of confidence" in Symbian software. Industry analyst Richard Windsor, of Japanese investment bank Nomura, agreed the deal was a milestone for Symbian, whose major shareholders are Finland’s Nokia NOK1V.HE , the world’s largest mobile phone operator, and UK software firm Psion Plc. "It’s a key win for Symbian," he said. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/17/2003
  NTT DoCoMo reaffirms 3 UK Alliance
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo reaffirmed its commitment to developing i-mode services in the U.K. with third-generation network operator 3 U.K. on Tuesday despite press reports that it was looking to launch the mobile Internet service with another partner. 3 U.K. has also reaffirmed its commitment to i-mode. 3 says the company is working actively with DoCoMo to introduce i-mode in the U.K. and Hong Kong. DoCoMo is still awaiting a response from 3 regarding their plans for i-mode and a timetable for its launch. (Dow Jones Newswires )  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo Says Mobile Phone Bugs to be Fixed via Wireless Networks
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
  Summary In 2004, NTT DoCoMo will adopt a patch system via mobile phone networks allowing users to fix problems. The frequency of bugs occurring in mobile phones is increasing rapidly, and fixing such bugs is more complicated requiring a user to bring or send the handset to a retail store. This system consists of a central system at low transmission bandwidths where bug-fixing programs are compressed and distributed efficiently to mobile phones and the installed software. (NE Asia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/16/2003
  DoCoMo hits snag with UK 3G, threatens to find a new partner
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo is threatening to find an alternative partner in the UK for its flagship i-mode data services technology. The move comes amid signs that 3 UK, the new mobile operator in which it has a 20 per cent stake, does not intend to adopt the i-mode platform. 3 is struggling to maintain its target of 1m third generation users by the end of 2003 while it promotes services such as football video clips and bar and restaurant reviews. Failure of 3 to adopt i-mode would be a setback for DoCoMo, since the UK is the only major European market that does not offer the service. (Financial Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/12/2003
  NTT DoCoMo Announces Data-Card Terminal
Friday, September 12, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced that the company will begin marketing the F2402, a data-card type terminal capable of high-speed packet transmission in both the uplink and downlink at a maximum rate of 384 kbps. A unique feature of the F2402 is that it makes possible video calling from a PC to a FOMA videophone, or to an ISDN-connected fixed videophone terminal. To enable this function, the PC user must preinstall videophone software, be using a web camera enabled PC, and be wearing an earphone-mike headset. For simple voice calling from a PC, the accessory earphone-mike headset optionally available from DoCoMo will suffice. (TMCNet)  
 
   
  DoCoMo says no plan to withdraw from PHS
Friday, September 12, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s largest mobile phone operator, said on Friday it has no plans to withdraw from its struggling PHS (personal handyphone system) business. The comment came after the Nihon Keizai newspaper reported that DoCoMo had stopped developing PHS handsets due to sluggish sales and high development costs and would stop accepting new signups. "We are not considering withdrawing from the PHS business," a DoCoMo spokesman said. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/9/2003
  NTT DoCoMo’s Yu Yu Call discounts to include 3G video calling
Tuesday, September 9, 2003
  Summary In an effect to increase 3G FOMA uptake, NTT DoCoMo announced that Yu Yu Call discounts will be extended to include 3G FOMA videophone communication beginning October 1, 2003. The existing service offers discounts of up to 30% on calls to up to five user- designated phone numbers. With the change, customers will also receive Yu Yu Call discounts when using FOMA videophone, M-stage V-Live video streaming or M-stage Visual Net videoconferencing during calls to designated phone numbers. (3GNewsroom)  
 
   
  NTT to post Y49 bln profit on DoCoMo share sale
Tuesday, September 9, 2003
  Summary Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT) 9432.T said on Tuesday its planned sale of shares in wireless unit NTT DoCoMo 9437.T would boost pre-tax profit by about 49 billion yen ($420 million) in the year to March. NTT, the world’s largest telecoms operator by revenue, has said it will sell back 698,000 DoCoMo shares to Japan’s dominant mobile phone operator, responding to DoCoMo’s tender offer to buy back a total 919,117 shares at 272,000 yen each. NTT did not revise its consolidated earnings forecast, saying the size of the expected profit from the sale was relatively small and that other factors may affect group earnings. In May, NTT projected a group pre-tax profit of 1.24 trillion yen for the year. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/5/2003
  DoCoMo to begin rolling over unused monthly minutes
Friday, September 5, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. said it will begin rolling over customers unused monthly dialing and communications allowances for up to two months beginning in November. The Japanese telecommunications giant said the two-month carryover plan applies to all mova and FOMA subscribers and will be automatically instituted for subscribers. (RCR News)  
 
   
  New DoCoMo phone targets elderly, tech-challenged
Friday, September 5, 2003
  Summary Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Tuesday it would launch a new handset model that reads aloud Internet text content and is equipped with a pedometer, functions seen luring senior citizens and the technologically challenged. The flip-open handsets, manufactured by Fujitsu Ltd and estimated to retail for 30,000-40,000 yen ($257-$343), will be the world’s first cellphone handsets with a pedometer function, DoCoMo said. The new Internet-capable handsets that also come with large-sized text display and a simple e-mailing function, will hit store shelves on Friday. DoCoMo expects to sell 160,000 units a month, a company spokesman said. (Reuters)  
 
   
  DoCoMo says may carry out another share buy back
Friday, September 5, 2003
  Summary Japan’s top mobile operator, NTT DoCoMo Inc, said on Thursday it may buy back more of its own shares following a 250 billion yen ($2.16 billion) repurchase announced last month. DoCoMo said in August it planned to buy back 919,117 of its own shares, or 1.8 percent of DoCoMo’s shares outstanding, between August 19 and September 8, in a step to reward investors with its ample cash flow. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 9/3/2003
  DoCoMos 3G coverage to match 2G coverage by March
Wednesday, September 3, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. said that its FOMA network would cover 99 percent of the population in the Kanto-Koshinetsu region of Japan, which includes Tokyo, beginning Sept. 6, and its network would cover 96 percent of the Japanese population by the end of September. (RCR News)  
 
   
  DoCoMo to Market New Easy-To-Use mova F672i
Wednesday, September 3, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and its eight regional subsidiaries announced today they will market the F672i (Raku Raku PHONE III) from September 5, 2003. This is the latest in DoCoMo’s easy-to-use handset series offering a range of innovative and convenient features. As with earlier handsets in the series, three large buttons on the outside of the closed phone each enable one-touch calling to an assigned number without even opening the phone. Likewise, the new F672i enables enlarged text display and voice output of various content. Of particular note, however, is the fact that the handset is the world’s first to be equipped with a pedometer function. (iPress)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/27/2003
  DoCoMo to set up research centre in China for 4G
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
  Summary Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Tuesday it would set up a research centre in Beijing for the development of advanced wireless technologies, establishing a foothold in the world’s largest mobile phone market. The centre, to be capitalised at $5.3 million and become operational by the end of the, will be DoCoMo’s third overseas research facility. It already has such centres in the United States and Germany. The Beijing centre will conduct research on wireless technology for fourth-generation (4G) mobile phone services and beyond, employing local researchers as well as Japanese staff. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/26/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Inaugurate ’Melody Call’ Service in Japan
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc announced that it will offer Melody Call service from Sept 1, 2003. The service is the first in Japan that enables subscribers to set approximately 15 seconds of music and voice content as ring tones heard by the incoming caller, while waiting for the phone to be answered. Available to 2G PDC (personal digital cellular) and 3G FOMA users, the service has two options: the "Basic Course" for 100 yen a month and the "Enjoy Course" for 200 yen a month. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/25/2003
  DoCoMo Increases 3G Cell Phone Speed by More than 30 Times
Monday, August 25, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc has developed a technology that increases the speed of its 3G (third-generation) cellular telephone FOMA service by more than 30 times, putting it on par with ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) service. The technology would enable its handsets to receive television and high-quality music content, which cannot be handled by its current FOMA service. The telecom firm hopes to have the technology deployed as early as 2005 (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/21/2003
  NTT DoCoMo may scale back investment in Taiwan
Thursday, August 21, 2003
  Summary Leading Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo Inc may scale back a planned investment in a Taiwanese joint venture after suffering losses on other investments overseas, a report said yesterday. DoCoMo was expected to take a 20 percent stake in the company to be formed from the merger of Far EasTone Telecommunications Co and KG Telecommunications Co in a NT$30 billion merger, the Financial Times said, citing sources close to the deal. As the merger would reduce DoCoMo’s stake in the combined company to 5 percent from the 21.4 percent which it already owns in KG, the Japanese firm was forecast to purchase a 23 percent stake in the new venture, according to the newspaper. (Taipei Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/18/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Spend 250 Billion Yen to Buy Back 919,117 Shares
Monday, August 18, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., the world’s second- largest mobile-phone operator, will spend 250.1 billion yen ($2.1 billion) to buy back its own shares. NTT DoCoMo will buy back 919,117 of its shares at 272,000 yen each from Aug. 19 to Sept. 8, the company said in a release distributed through the Tokyo Stock Exchange. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/13/2003
  FOMA helped DoCoMo to strong growth
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo reported a quarterly profit last month, helped by strong growth at its 3G service and solid per-user revenues, with no big overseas losses this time. User growth at DoCoMo’s FOMA 3G service picked up pace in the quarter and its per-user revenue rose as it accelerated the pace of network expansion and launched a series of new handsets with a longer battery life earlier this year. "As far as generating popularity among investors is concerned, it (DoCoMo) seems to be losing out a bit to KDDI due to the popularity of KDDI’s 3G service," said Koichi Ogawa, chief portfolio manager at Daiwa SB Investments. So the key for DoCoMo to become more popular with investors is really to boost the growth rate of its 3G service." (3G Newsroom)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/12/2003
  Japan’s June cellphone shipments up for 8th month
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
  Summary Domestic shipments of mobile phones in Japan rose for the eighth consecutive month in June as users continued to replace their handsets with camera-phones and third-generation (3G) phones, an industry group said on Tuesday. Handset shipments for June swelled 19.4 percent from a year ago to 4.878 million units, staying above the four million level for the fourth straight month, the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) said. The JEITA said more than 80 percent of all the cellphones were equipped with tiny high-resolution cameras which allow users to take pictures and send them via e-mail. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/11/2003
  Japans Benchmarks Have Biggest Gain in Two Weeks; DoCoMo Rises
Monday, August 11, 2003
  Summary Japanese stocks rose, with benchmarks posting their biggest gains in two weeks. Companies that rely on domestic sales such as NTT DoCoMo Inc. advanced on optimism a government report tomorrow may show the nations economic growth accelerated in the second quarter. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/7/2003
  DoCoMo posts Q1 profit on 3G growth, stays cautious
Thursday, August 7, 2003
  Summary Japan’s top mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo Inc 9437.T , reported a quarterly profit on Thursday, helped by strong growth at its third-generation (3G) service and solid per-user revenues, with no big overseas losses this time. DoCoMo, Asia’s most valuable company with a market capitalisation of $116 billion, earned 196.82 billion yen ($1.64 billion) in group net profit in the first quarter to June 30 on sales of 1.25 trillion yen. The result was equal to 32 percent of DoCoMo’s projected annual profit, but the company remained cautious on its outlook. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/6/2003
  DoCoMo to introduce slimmest handset in 505i series
Wednesday, August 6, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced today that it will start marketing the P505i on August 8. At a scant 19.9 mm closed, the new clamshell model is the slimmest in the 505i series. Even though its thin doesnt mean it lacks features: both an inner and outer CCD camera (capture stills as well as video); a Macromedia Flash browser; downloadable Java applications and a massive 240 x 320 pixel 65,536 color TFT LCD screen. (Mobiletracker)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 8/5/2003
  DoCoMo Q1 net seen higher, future growth a concern
Tuesday, August 5, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s top mobile phone company, is likely to post higher quarterly profits this week as there are no big overseas losses to hurt the bottom line, but analysts are concerned over its long-term growth potential. No direct comparison can be made with the first quarter of last year as DoCoMo has until now reported only half-year and full-year earnings. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/29/2003
  NTT DoCoMo, Asustek shelve i-mode plan
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo and Asustek Computer recently decided to postpone their plan to launch an Asustek-made i-mode handset, according to sources. Asustek was previously scheduled to ship i-mode handsets for NTT DoCoMo at the end of the year. (Digitimes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/23/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to recall newly launched SH505i mobile phone
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will offer free repair service to users of the newly launched SH505i mobile phone over software problems that could lead to the loss of stored game data, a company official said Wednesday. Subject to the free replacement of software are about 190,000 units sold since its launch on June 20, the official said. The software problems involve the i-APRI service, which allows users to download games and other types of application software from NTT DoCoMo’s network. (Kyodo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/17/2003
  New Mova Handset for NTTDoCoMo
Thursday, July 17, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced that they will begin marketing the F505i, the first Japanese handset to incorporate fingerprint authentication technology, from July 11, 2003. The F505i features a fingerprint sensor to prevent unauthorized handset use. The user can lock or unlock the mobile phone simply by placing a pre-registered finger on the sensor. Up to 10 fingerprints can be registered by following the handsetfs authentication mode procedures. The F505i also boasts the longest video clip recording time of any mova handset. The handset comes with a 16MB miniSD card that can store 29 minutes of video clips or 1,040 photos saved in the i-shotEsmall-size format. By combining the 16MB miniSD card with the handsetfs intrinsic memory, the F505i has a maximum recording time of 67 minutes enabling it to capture and store up to 11 six-minute video clips. (3G.co.uk)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/8/2003
  DoCoMo recalls faulty cell phone battery chargers
Tuesday, July 8, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc on Tuesday warned users of its Mova D series mobile phones that their battery-charging AC adapters could overheat and said the company will replace them. The problem, which could affect some 1.15 million D002 AC adapters produced by Matsushita Battery Industrial Co between last October and March this year, is caused by defective adapter parts, NTT DoCoMo said. (Kyodo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 7/2/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Launch Two New Mobile Handsets with Long Standby Time, Sound Capabilities
Wednesday, July 2, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc announced the launch of two new mobile phone handsets: the FOMA F2102V mobile videophone and the N505i. The F2102V handset, announced June 30, is the first model compatible with DoCoMo’s new "FirstPass" SSL client authentication service. The model also features videophone and the longest continuous stand-by time of any FOMA handset, about 310 hours. Its standard cradle comes with its own USB port, so that while recharging, the user can link to a PC to make backups of images shot by the handset, or synchronize address book/schedule data. It also serves as a modem through which the user can access the Internet using DoCoMo’s "mopera" Internet connection service or any other Internet service provider’s service. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/27/2003
  Hutchison and NTT DoCoMo collaborate on 3G
Friday, June 27, 2003
  Summary Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa and Japans NTT DoCoMo yesterday announced that the two companies have agreed to cooperate on the development and promotion of third-generation (3G) services based on WCDMA technology. Under the terms of the agreement, Hutchison and NTT DoCoMo will work together on handsets, standards, international roaming and radio technology. (DigiTimes)  
 
   
  Roland to Debut Digital Piano with Infrared Communications Capability
Friday, June 27, 2003
  Summary Roland Corp will launch a digital piano equipped with an infrared communications capability on July 9.The digital piano, called "KR-7iR," will download musical data from an i-mode cellular phone system via infrared communications for automatic music performances. Roland will add the infrared communications capability to its highest-end KR-7 digital piano to produce the KR-7iR. The compatible i-mode mobile phone handsets will be the 504i series, 504iS series, 505i series and FOMA series with the infrared communications capabilities. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/25/2003
  Nanao’s Live Camera is Compliant with FOMA Data Communications Card
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
  Summary Eizo Nanao Corp announced that it has developed a live camera called "EIZO AirView," which supports a data communications card for NTT DoCoMo Inc’s third-generation mobile phone, "FOMA." Nanao plans to commercialize the product at about the same time when "FOMA F2402," Fujitsu Ltd’s FOMA handset on which performance has been tested, will be released. The price is yet to be determined. The EIZO AirView is expected to function as a live camera with a FOMA data communications card that enables a video phone system. (NEAsiaOnline)  
 
   
  DoCoMo not taking stake in Wind- Enel CEO
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
  Summary Japan’s top mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo Inc will not take a stake in Italy’s Wind, the owner of the Italian telecom firm said on Monday. Paolo Scaroni, chief executive of utility Enel which owns Wind, said the speculation was "devoid of any foundation". Speaking on the sidelines of a conference in Venice, he said that DoCoMo and Wind are working on a "very important commercial agreement". A source close to the Japanese company said earlier on Monday that DoCoMo is forming a strategic partnership with Wind, Italy’s third-largest telecom operator, and the companies will hold a joint news conference in Rome on Wednesday. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/24/2003
  Japan's DoCoMo, Italy's Wind Plan Technology Tie-Up
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., the world's No. 2 mobile-phone company, and Wind Telecomunicazioni SpA, Italy's No. 3 operator, said they will outline terms of an agreement to share technology at a press conference in Rome on Wednesday. DoCoMo may also buy a stake in Wind, the wholly owned phone unit of Italy's largest utility, Enel SpA, within a year, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported, citing unidentified people in the banking industry. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/23/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Launch Client Authentication Service via 3G FOMA Network
Monday, June 23, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo announced that they will introduce the FirstPass SSL client authentication service via the 3G network in conjunction with the launch of new F2102V and N2102V FOMA handsets. SSL client authentication is currently the most popular authentication technology for the internet. The new service will provide enterprises and individuals with extra-high security when using DoCoMo FOMA phones for mobile internet transactions, such as on-line shopping, trading, or accessing corporate intranets. (3G Newsroom)  
 
   
  DoCoMo spotlights wireless success
Monday, June 23, 2003
  Summary The wide maturity gap between the wireless markets in the U.S. and Japan was highlighted Friday during NTT DoCoMo USA CEO Nobuharu Ono’s keynote address at CeBIT America, during which he spotlighted an array of popular Japanese DoCoMo products that won’t be arriving in the U.S. any time soon. (Infoworld)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo, Credit Card Firms to Launch Card Settlement Test Service via Cell Phones
Monday, June 23, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Visa International, Nippon Shinpan Co, Ltd, Aeon Credit Service Co, Ltd, and OMC Card Inc will start in July technical checks for a trial service to start in October, on credit card settlement at retail shops. NTT DoCoMo’s cell phones with infrared communication function are expected to be used in this test service. The applicable handset models are NTT DoCoMo’s 504i and 504iS series. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/20/2003
  DoCoMo says to remain active overseas despite loss
Friday, June 20, 2003
  Summary Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc on Thursday apologised to shareholders for huge special losses on its overseas investments but said it would keep pressing ahead with its foreign expansion strategy to secure continued growth. DoCoMo, Japan’s top wireless carrier, splashed out 1.9 trillion yen ($16 billion) in recent years to take minority stakes in several foreign carriers including a 16-percent stake in AT&T Wireless Services Inc of the United States. (Reuters)  
 
   
  DoCoMo to tie up with Wind on i-mode - sources
Friday, June 20, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc has reached a basic agreement to license its "i-mode" mobile Internet technology to Italy’s third-largest telecoms operator, Wind, sources close to the top Japanese mobile carrier said on Thursday. The agreement will be announced next week, they said. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/19/2003
  DoCoMo to launch second megapixel handsets
Thursday, June 19, 2003
  Summary Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Wednesday it will launch its second megapixel camera phone model later this week, giving itself a leg up on domestic rivals KDDI Corp 9433.T and J-Phone. The new handsets, with a resolution of one million pixels and manufactured by Sharp Corp, are expected to retail for between 30,000 yen and 40,000 yen ($254-$339) each, DoCoMo said. J-Phone, a Japanese unit of Britain’s Vodafone Group Plc, and KDDI became the first and second operators to put megapixel models, suitable for making standard-sized prints, on the market in late May. Launched in November 2000, camera-mounted handsets took Japan by storm, with the three major operators attracting more than 26 million users at the end of May, or about one in five people in Japan. (Reuters)  
 
   
  Tellabs announces contracts with NTT DoCoMo, WorldCom
Thursday, June 19, 2003
  Summary Tellabs Inc., a maker of telecommunications equipment, said on Wednesday it will supply switches to a unit of Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc. and to WorldCom, customers it had discussed but not identified before. Tellabs valued the NTT contract at tens of millions of dollars. No value was attached to the WorldCom contract. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/17/2003
  DoCoMo to offer advanced 3G phones to boost demand
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
  Summary Japans NTT DoCoMo Inc will offer two new handsets with longer battery life for its third-generation (3G) service in the next few months in a bid to spur demand for the fledgeling service. The handsets, manufactured by Fujitsu Ltd and NEC Corp, will run for 200 to 240 hours between charges, up from 170 to 180 hours of standby time for the latest 3G models. Both phones are equipped with built-in digital cameras and allow video conferencing. DoCoMo aims to sell 380,000 units of the NEC model, and 220,000 units of the Fujitsu handheld model, and 14,000 units of the card-type terminals by September. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/16/2003
  NTT Docomo chooses EMC storage solutions for i-mode system
Monday, June 16, 2003
  Summary EMC announced this week that Japanfs NTT DoCoMo has implemented EMC Automated Networked Storage to manage and protect NTT DoCoMofs new gateway system CiRCUS, one of the world's largest mission-critical data networks. CiRCUS is the core of NTT Docomofs mobile i-mode service, which provides e-mail and Internet access to over 38 million mobile phone subscribers in Japan. Since the advent of i-mode four years ago, both the number of subscribers and the amount of content specially tailored for the service have risen sharply. (CMPNet Asia)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/14/2003
  NTT DoCoMo plans FOMA expansion
Saturday, June 14, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. said it plans to expand the service area for its FOMA service to an additional 43 towns and villages in the Kanto-Koshinetsu region on June 14 and to 218 towns and nationwide by the end of the month. The carrier said the expansion will increase FOMA coverage to 98 percent of populated areas in the Kanto-Koshinetsu region and to 93 percent of Japan’s population. As part of the expansion, DoCoMo said it will also expand the number of FOMA base stations nationwide from 6,300 at the end of March to 7,000 base stations by the end of June. (RCR Wireless News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/9/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Implement Video Phone Function in All FOMA Models After Fall
Monday, June 9, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc’s marketing strategy for FOMA handsets has been revealed in part. The plan is to add, in one go, several models of terminals with video phone functions by summer. In addition to a normal mobile phone handsets, it will prepare PC-card types. The company is attempting to accelerate subscription rates, now that it is well under way with approximately 100,000 subscribers per month. The PC-card terminals will be compatible with "3G-324M," a video phone standard for mobile phones that FOMA has adopted. By connecting it to a PC with a camera and exclusive software program, it will be possible to have a videophone connection with another terminal. It will use a 64kbps circuit-switching service. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/6/2003
  DoCoMo to transfer all 2G users to FOMA by 2010
Friday, June 6, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo will switch its business focus to its FOMA 3G service within two to three years, with the ultimate aim of transferring all of its mobile phones to 3G by 2010, the Asahi Shimbun reported. In an interview with the paper, DoCoMo President Keiji Tachikawa said that by reviewing its fee structure to favor 3G users and drastically scaling back investment into its 2G models, the firm hopes to raise the ratio of 3G users to about half of its total mobile phone users in about two to three years. Tachikawa said he hopes to increase the number of subscribers to more than 1-million by the end of the year. (3G Newsroom)  
 
   
  Glitches Hit Sony Ericsson Megapixel Phones -DoCoMo
Friday, June 6, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said that technical glitches had affected its first megapixel phones, manufactured by Sony Ericsson, marring the debut of a new photo-phone model with the world’s highest resolution. DoCoMo, Japan’s largest mobile phone operator, sold about 40,000 units of the camera-phone on the day of its launch on Wednesday. It said e-mail software on the model, which has a resolution of 1.3 million pixels, could freeze up when a message is typed, under certain conditions. The company said the problem could be solved by a software upgrade and that it did not plan to carry out a recall. (Reuters)  
 
   
  DoCoMo to launch fuel cell-run handsets by 2005
Friday, June 6, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Thursday it expects to launch a mobile phone powered by a fuel-cell battery for extended hours of use as early as 2004, a potential boost for its high-speed third-generation (3G) service. DoCoMo’s 3G service, which offers video conferencing and speedy access to the Web, had until recently met a cool reception due mainly to the poor battery life of its handsets. "If everything goes smoothly, we will see the first model next year or the year after that," NTT DoCoMo President Keiji Tachikawa told a news conference. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/4/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Start Trial of Online Payments Service
Wednesday, June 4, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced a trial payments service to enable customers using 2G and 3G handsets to enjoy on-line shopping at a dedicated portal site and receive bills for purchases together with their monthly mobile phone invoices. The trial will begin June 26 and last about six months, after which commercial services are planned to start. Initially, three virtual shops will be offering GPS services, such as tracking and emergency-related services, with an additional five stores joining from September. In total, about 20 virtual shops selling such items as fashion goods, groceries and flowers will be participating in the trial. The service is free and users are only required to pay packet transmission charges. During the trial, purchases between 1,000 yen (minimum) and 10,000 yen per month will be accepted. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/3/2003
  DoCoMo launches 1-megapixel camera phone for i-mode
Tuesday, June 3, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will launch the mova SO505i 1.3-megapixel equipped camera phone beginning June 4 for it second-generation-based i-mode wireless service. The carrier claims the device is the highest resolution camera phone available in the world and includes a 16x digital zoom and 2.2-inch semi-transparent, 262,144-color TFT screen. The handset also can shoot video clips at five frames per second and up to 6.4 seconds in length. Last month, DoCoMo rival J-Phone released what it called the world's first megapixel phone, the J-SH53 from Sharp. (RCR Wireless News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 6/1/2003
  Japan Airlines to use FOMA, WLAN in trial
Sunday, June 1, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. and Japan Airlines announced a partnership that will see the companies test applications operating on DoCoMofs third-generation system and a wireless local area network for Japan Airlines ground staff at Narita Airport. The trial will run from June 2 to Nov. 30. (RCR Wireless News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/29/2003
  NTT DoCoMo Begins Using Recycled Material in Mobile Phone Accessories For Eco-Friendliness
Thursday, May 29, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that it is the first Japanese mobile operator to incorporate recycled ABS resin in mobile phone accessories. The first resin-based accessory is an optional desk-top charging stand for the new D505i that was launched today. The charger employs ABS resin recovered from disposed mobile phones. NTT DoCoMo has been involved in a variety of recycling initiatives since 1993, including the collection of used mobile phones and batteries. The company has achieved 100% recycling of every handset recovered. (JapanCorp.Net)  
 
   
  Software defect found in DoCoMo’s FOMA cell phones
Thursday, May 29, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc will repair free of charge two of its FOMA mobile phone models on demand due to a software defect, company officials said Wednesday. The officials said the defect concerns the calculation functions in the N2051 and P2102V models of the third-generation handset but added basic functions like telephone calls and personal data control are not affected. (Kyodo News)  
 
   
  DoCoMo moves forward with 4G trial
Thursday, May 29, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has been conducting research on 4G mobile communications technology since 1998,Esaid the company. In indoor experiments announced last October, DoCoMo’s 4G system demonstrated maximum information bit rates of 100 Mbps (Megabits per second) for the downlink and 20 Mbps for the uplink. (RCR News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/28/2003
  Alcatel, NTT DoCoMo, and KPN Mobile deliver 3G traffic between Japan and Netherlands
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
  Summary Telecommunications infrastructure provider Alcatel has announced that its next-generation data-aware SDH systems for metro applications enabled the transport of third-generation (3G) mobile traffic between NTT DoCoMo’s FOMA 3G commercial systems located in Japan and its base station modem at KPN Mobile’s premises in the Netherlands, at speeds up to 40 times faster than today’s current standard GSM offers. (Europemedia)  
 
   
  "i-mode My Box" Provides Link to Customized Sites via i-mode Portal
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced a new 2G/3G service, called "i-mode My Box," for easy linkage to customized web pages via "iMenu," the official i-mode portal. The service makes it easier for i-mode users to access their widest possible choice of favorite sites, while providing virtually any information provider (IP) with a direct channel to users via iMenu. Users simply press the dedicated i-mode button on their DoCoMo mobile phone to access iMenu, then go directly to the My Box menu to access their favorite sites. By launching the service, DoCoMo now offers a direct link between the IPs and the users by providing a space for user-customized web pages within iMenu. Initially, 10 IPs will participate in the trial. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo to Introduce FOMA N2701 Handset for 2G/3G Networks
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and its eight regional subsidiaries announced the FOMA N2701, the first dual-network handset that works both with DoCoMo's 2G and 3G networks. The N2701 goes on sale nationwide on June 11, 2003. The phone can be set to operate exclusively in 2G or 3G mode, or set to switch automatically between the two networks according to available signal strength. Currently, the FOMA network area extends to approximately 91% of Japan, while the mova 2G network covers approx. 100 % of the nation. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/26/2003
  I-mode slow to catch Europe’s fancy
Monday, May 26, 2003
  Summary The 1 million users that Vodafone Live gained between its introduction last October and March 31 represent just 2 percent of Vodafone’s total European customers, roughly the same percentage that has signed up for i-mode in the European countries where it has been offered. Until now, getting access to i-mode via prepaid phone cards, a method used by some 60 percent of European mobile subscribers, has not been an option. Instead, i-mode users have had to subscribe to a complex mobile pricing plan, while Vodafone Live permits prepaid plans. (IHT)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/23/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Sell First Handset in New 505i Series
Friday, May 23, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc will start selling the D505i mobile phone handset produced by Mitsubishi Electric Corp on May 23. This model is the first in the company’s new 505i series of enhanced-PDC (2G) i-mode handsets that incorporate a Macromedia Flash browser, allowing users to access a broad range of rich content and applications that boast highly fluid animation. A "Super CCD Honeycom" camera realizes a maximum 1.23 mega-pixel-equivalent quality when photos are printed out.The data storage area (scratchpad) for i-appli has expanded to 200KB, twice as much as that of the 504i seies. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/22/2003
  DoCoMo to launch mobile e-commerce service
Thursday, May 22, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. plans to launch a new online shopping and settlement service next week in an effort to boost data traffic. The new service would allow users of its "i-mode" Internet-enabled handsets with a security function to go shopping online and pay online without punching in a lengthy credit card number or memorising different passwords and ID numbers for each virtual shop. By using subscribers’ phone numbers as ID, DoCoMo said it has made it possible for users to go shopping at any store at DoCoMo’s virtual shopping site -- to be launched along with the service on Monday -- using a single password. DoCoMo, which boasts 44 million subscribers, aims to attract 900,000 members to the service, dubbed "DoCommerce", in its first year of operation. (Reuters)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo Plans to Cap Subsidies on Handsets to Rein in Costs
Thursday, May 22, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., the world’s second-largest mobile-phone operator, vowed to cap subsidies it pays handset retailers, seeking to dispel investor concerns that it will sacrifice profit to build up its high-speed service. Japan’s largest company by market value will spend about 500 billion yen ($4.3 billion) on incentives to retailers this fiscal year, almost the same as last year, Chief Executive Officer Keiji Tachikawa said in an interview last week. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/21/2003
  DoCoMo to release new handheld PC May 28
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo will begin offering its Sigmarion III handheld PC May 28. The device, which uses the Microsoft Windows CE .NET operating system, is compatible with NTT DoCoMo’s FOMA network and its second-generation networks. The Japanese carrier said the handheld is ideal for its flat-rate PHS wireless Internet service that offers always-on access. The device includes the Picsel browser to enable users to scroll and resize Web pages and documents. (RCR Wireless News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/20/2003
  DoCoMo to offer overseas roaming for 3G users
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Monday it would launch an international roaming service for users of its third-generation (3G) mobile phone service in June to boost demand among business users and other frequent travellers. Under the new system, users of DoCoMo’s 3G service, dubbed FOMA, would remove subscriber identity module (SIM) cards from FOMA cellphones and put them in handsets that work on a global system for mobile communications (GSM) networks. They would then take the GSM handsets overseas to make and take calls using their original phone numbers. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/16/2003
  DoCoMo sees 6 mln 3G users by March 2005
Friday, May 16, 2003
  Summary Japan’s top mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo Inc., said on Thursday it expected six million users for its high-speed third-generation (3G) service by March 2005, up from a forecast 1.46 million users by March 2004. DoCoMo hopes its 3G service, which offers video conferencing and speedy access to the Web, will be its next growth driver, with the conventional mobile phone market close to saturation. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/14/2003
  NTT Posts Profit on Cost Cuts, Cellular-Phone Gains
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
  Summary Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., Japan’s largest phone company, had a fiscal second-half profit after cost cuts and gains at mobile-phone unit NTT DoCoMo Inc. helped overcome a slump in its traditional phone operations. Group net income totaled 200.2 billion yen ($1.7 billion) in the six months ended March 31, compared with a net loss of 602.6 billion yen in the year-ago period when its wireless unit wrote off much of its overseas investments. NTT said profit will surge this fiscal year, even though sales will be unchanged, because of tax-related accounting gains. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
  NTT, DoCoMo to seek approval to buy back shares
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
  Summary Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT) said in a statement on Tuesday it would seek permission from a meeting of shareholders to buy back up to 200,000 of its own shares, or up to 100 billion yen worth. Its NTT DoCoMo mobile phone unit said in a separate statement that it would seek approval to buy back up to 2.5 million of its own shares, worth up to 600 billion yen. (Forbes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/12/2003
  DoCoMo May Have Hard Time Cultivating 3G Cell Phone Service
Monday, May 12, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc hopes its FOMA 3G (third-generation) cellular phone service will grow this fiscal year, but the company may have a difficult time achieving this goal. DoCoMo aims to have 1.46 million FOMA subscriptions at the end of this fiscal year. The target represents a net annual increase of just 1.13 million, or a monthly increase of only about 100,000. The FOMA service’s effective calling area is still limited, as base stations located inside buildings and underground have yet to be built. The average revenue per user for the FOMA service fell about 4% short of DoCoMo’s overall operations in fiscal 2002, while the 1x service’s per user revenue topped KDDI’s overall services by about 21%. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  DoCoMo wristphone sells out in 20 mins
Monday, May 12, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo’s Wristomo i-mode wristphone sold out within 20 minutes of going on sale, the company said yesterday. Wristomo was made available to the Japanese public on Wednesday at 10am local time. By 10.20am, all 1000 devices that made up the wristphone’s first production run, had been sold. NTT DoCoMo said it plans to offer a second batch of 1000 Wristomos via its web site next Thursday at 10am. (The Register)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/9/2003
  Popular cell phones dial up healthy profits for DoCoMo, KDDI
Friday, May 9, 2003
  Summary Japan’s top mobile phone carrier DoCoMo said it swung back into the black in the year to March, while rival KDDI saw profits quadruple as demand for interactive cellphones grew. Both forecast even higher earnings this financial year on the growth of third generation (3G) mobile phone sales, with KDDI Corp. also announcing a plan to offer broadcasting services using fiber-optic networks. NTT DoCoMo’s pre-tax profit rose 9.1 percent to a record 1.04 trillion yen, surpassing the one trillion mark for the first time in its history, while revenue rose 3.2 percent to 4.81 trillion yen. (AFP)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/8/2003
  DoCoMo Q1 net seen higher, future growth a concern
Thursday, May 8, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s top mobile phone company, is likely to post higher quarterly profits this week as there are no big overseas losses to hurt the bottom line, but analysts are concerned over its long-term growth potential. No direct comparison can be made with the first quarter of last year as DoCoMo has until now reported only half-year and full-year earnings. (Reuters)  
 
   
  Next i-mode Wireless Gateway
Thursday, May 8, 2003
  Summary NTT DATA Corporation and NEC Corporation announced the completion of NTT DoCoMo Corporation (NTT DoCoMo) next i-mode gateway system named "CiRCUS". i-mode gateway system, "CiRCUS", is the backbone system supporting more than 37 million i-mode subscribers using mail services and web access services and also is one of the world’s largest mission critical system in open environment, based upon leading edge open architecture technology. (3G.co.uk)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/7/2003
  DoCoMo's Tachikawa Shows High-Speed Services a Bet Worth Making
Wednesday, May 7, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. Chief Executive Officer Keiji Tachikawa's bet on new mobile-phone services and lower spending are beginning to pay off, restoring growth at Japan's largest company by market value after its first-ever loss. Investors credit the turnaround to Tachikawa's decision to subsidize costs of developing mobile phone handsets at companies such as NEC Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., helping sell more services. A spending cap and a popular picture-messaging service also helped lift DoCoMo's shares 28 percent since March 10, rebounding from a 41 percent drop in the previous 12 months. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/6/2003
  Zentek Technology Group Announces Launch of English i-JADE Basic for P504i
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
  Summary Zentek Technology Group launched of the English language version of i-JADE Basic for P504i, the latest release in their highly successful i-JADE series of emulators. "i-JADE Basic for P504i, English Version" is an emulator that supports creation of i-appli for NTT DoCoMo's P504i, one of 504i series of i-mode enabled (Internet service-enabled) handsets. Zentek's i-JADE has been widely used and appreciated by content creators; it has become an essential and de-facto standard tool for mobile Java application development in Japan since Zentek started providing i-JADE Lite in January 2001. (Enfour)  
 
   
  DoCoMo Probably Had 2nd-Half Profit, Aided by High-Speed Users
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., the world’s second-largest mobile-phone operator, probably had a fiscal second- half profit after avoiding investment-related losses and adding users to its high-speed wireless Internet service. Net income at Japan’s largest company by market value probably totaled 200.8 billion yen ($1.7 billion) in the six months ended March 31, according to the median estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. Based on U.S. accounting standards, which the company began using in the April-September period last year, DoCoMo had a 205 billion yen net loss a year ago after writing off much of its overseas investments. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/2/2003
  DoCoMo to begin selling mobile phone watch
Friday, May 2, 2003
  Summary Japanese mobile telecoms giant NTT DoCoMo said it will start selling a mobile phone which doubles as a wrist watch from next week. "Because of its special qualities, we are not going to use our regular distribution channels," said DoCoMo spokesman Nobuyuki Hatanaka. "We are selling it on an experimental basis on the Internet." The new phone will begin selling for 37,000 yen ($310) on May 7 through Internet orders only. (Hindustan Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 5/1/2003
  DoCoMo expects 3G subscriber boom
Thursday, May 1, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo’s third-generation mobile phone service faces a turning point this year, with subscriber numbers expected to exceed 1m, according to a senior DoCoMo official. "Our plan is to exceed 1m subscribers and our experience in the past has been that, when subscriber numbers exceed 1m, there is a multiplier effect", Shiro Tsuda, senior executive vice-president responsible for 3G services, said. (Financial Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/30/2003
  DoCoMo photo-phone users top 10 million, beats J-Phone
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Wednesday its camera-phone users had exceeded 10 million, grabbing the top spot in the growing photo-phone market away from J-Phone Co Ltd, a unit of Vodafone Group Plc. DoCoMo, Japan’s dominant mobile phone operator, took just 11 months to surpass the 10 million mark since launching its first camera-phone last June. A spokesman for J-Phone, which had 9.015 million camera-phone users at the end of March, said that it was still below 10 million as of Wednesday. (Forbes)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/28/2003
  NTT DoCoMo Unveils ’SigmarionIII’ Windows CE PC with High-Resolution TFT-LCD
Monday, April 28, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc introduced a new handheld PC utilizing Windows CE, "sigmarionIII," on April 22, 2003. The product’s key characteristic is the TFT-LCD, whose 800 x 480 pixel resolution is higher than the existing model. End price is anticipated to be a little lower than 60,000 yen. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo loan to H3GUK won’t affect rating-S&P
Monday, April 28, 2003
  Summary Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said today that NTT DoCoMo Inc’s (AA-/Stable/A-1+) GBP2 billion (37.8 billion yen) loan to U.K.-based Hutchison 3G U.K. Holdings Ltd (H3GUK) would not affect the rating on the company, as it will not have a significant impact on NTT DoCoMo’s strong financial profile. On April 23, 2003, NTT DoCoMo announced that it had agreed to provide the loan to H3GUK, its 20 percent owned affiliate. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/24/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to funnel 42 bil. yen to FOMA cell phone developers
Thursday, April 24, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will funnel a combined 42 billion yen into five makers that have developed the carrier’s FOMA mobile phones to help the five innovate their third-generation FOMA handsets and cut prices. The money will be divided up and disbursed by the carrier-supplier of the i-mode series of mobile phones by March 31, 2004. The five recipients include NEC Corp., Fujitsu Ltd. and Sharp Corp. The planned disbursements for the five -- equal to roughly half of each maker’s FOMA-related development expenses -- are designed to help improve the handsets and bolster their popularity. (Kyodo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/23/2003
  NTT DoCoMo unveils ultra compact PC with video capability
Wednesday, April 23, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. on Tuesday took the wraps off a 19-centimeter-wide ultra-compact personal computer (PC) capable of playing videos and sending and receiving text files wirelessly. (Kyodo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/22/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to License 3G Cell Phone Tech to Singapore, HK Firms
Tuesday, April 22, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc is slated to transfer advanced third-generation (3G) cell phone technology enabling teleconferencing and other high-speed functions to major cell phone firms in Singapore and Hong Kong, sources close to the matter said today. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/18/2003
  DoCoMo Cranks Up 3G
Friday, April 18, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. has begun testing a High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) system, designed to act as an upgrade to its existing third-generation network. Unstrung believes this to be the worlds first publicly announced trial of the technology. HSDPA is a packet-based data service evolved from -- and backwards compatible with -- earlier wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA) air interface standards, which offer maximum [ed. translation: only possible in the lab] data transfer rates of 2 Mbit/s. The technology uses adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) and other interference cancelling techniques to maximize the amount of data that can be transmitted over the W-CDMA downlink. (Unstrung)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/17/2003
  DoCoMo Gets a Clearer Signal
Thursday, April 17, 2003
  Summary A year ago, NTT DoCoMo Inc. looked like yet another Japanese company gone astray. Now, though, DoCoMo is bouncing back. Thanks to booming handset sales, declining capital outlays, and higher mobile revenues, DoCoMo is cash-rich again; it rang up $3 billion in free cash flow for the year ending Mar. 31, analysts say. (Business Week)  
 
   
  UbiNetics Supplies NTT DoCoMo With HSDPA Mobile Simulator
Thursday, April 17, 2003
  Summary Wireless test and measurement equipment specialist UbiNetics is supplying NTT DoCoMo with mobile simulators for the testing and evaluation of the HSDPA system the Japanese mobile operator is developing. High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is being developed to enhance the performance of W-CDMA networks by allowing data rates of up to 14.2 Mbit/s to be achieved. DoCoMo is one of the first to start trialing HSDPA networks and looking at the trade offs and experimenting with the different algorithms needed. Japan is likely to be the first to deploy the technology as HSDPA has the potential to solve the problem of data rate capacity in highly loaded cells in urban environments. (EE Times UK)  
 
   
  DoCoMo GPS Phone Ready
Thursday, April 17, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. will begin marketing its first Global Positioning System (GPS) compatible handset, dubbed F661i, on April 22, 2003. The new, easy-to-operate mobile phone features a one-touch GPS button that lets users quickly pinpoint their location, within a radius of 50 meters, and download area maps and information. Eight different types of GPS content available from eight information providers include public transportation and restaurant data, as well as routing to help navigate to specific locations. (Unstrung)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/16/2003
  Japan photo phone shares surge on megapixel hopes
Wednesday, April 16, 2003
  Summary The planned launch by NTT DoCoMo Inc of megapixel camera phones gave a strong boost to shares in Japanese photo phone component makers on Tuesday, but some analysts cautioned investors against bloated expectations. DoCoMo said last week it would launch the worlds first camera phones with a resolution of more than a million pixels in the next three months, raising hopes for increased demand for handsets equipped with a digital camera. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/15/2003
  Credit Card Companies Start Trial Service of Infrared Settlement Using I-Mode
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
  Summary Visa International, Nippon Shinpan Co, Ltd, Aeon Credit Service Co, Ltd, OMC Card Inc and NTT DoCoMo Inc announced that they have agreed to commercialize credit card settlements using mobile phones, and that they will start a trial service soon. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/14/2003
  DoCoMo investors cool to Hutchison cash call
Monday, April 14, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will probably lend 200 million ($313 million) to a British venture that has already cost it 1.2 billion, investors say. Some say they would prefer that it did not. DoCoMo has said it will decide this week how to respond to a funding request from Hutchison 3G U.K. Holdings Ltd., a high-speed wireless venture with Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. and Royal KPN NV. Investors say they are concerned that while the sum is small change for DoCoMo, which had 437.5 billion ($3.6 billion) of cash as of Sept. 30, the cash call could be the first of many. A better use for the funds would be an investment in DoCoMo’s main business of providing mobile services in Japan, they say. (IHT)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/9/2003
  DoCoMo announces 505 series i-Mode handsets
Wednesday, April 9, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has announced a new range of handsets designed for its i-Mode service. The handsets also support the new i-Appli DX Java specification, with increased ’scratchpad’ or cache memory of 200 Kb for storing applications. They all support the enhanced PDC transmission speed of 28.8 Kbs on the downlink. DoCoMo has specified the inclusion of Macromedia’s Flash client in all of the handsets. Other common features include an IR port and an enhanced version of the i-Mode e-mail application. Two of the six handsets support Sony’s Memory Stick Due expansion cards, while the others are all equipped with Mini SD expansion slots. Some also have the ability to record video messages. The devices will be released commercially from mid-May 2003 onwards. (PMN)  
 
   
  DoCoMo gears up million-pixel phone
Wednesday, April 9, 2003
  Summary DoCoMo plans to launch six new handsets in the next three months. While all six models come with a built-in camera, three of them, made by Fujitsu, Sharp and Sony Ericsson are high-resolution megapixel camera phones. DoCoMo said the new handset from Fujitsu comes with a user authentication system that identifies the owner by fingerprint. The handset has a small sensor patch on it and only the registered person can activate the phone, protecting personal data stored on the handset. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/8/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to add credit-card function to handsets
Tuesday, April 8, 2003
  Summary Japan’s top mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo Inc will soon launch a trial service that would allow subscribers to make payments at stores using their cellphone handsets. Users of its 504i and 504iS series of handsets, which are Internet-enabled and equipped with an infrared transmission port, would first download their credit-card authentication data from the Internet. When making a purchase, users would simply transmit the data via wireless transmission by pointing the handset at a special terminal located by the store’s registers. More than eight million people are using DoCoMo’s 504i and 504iS handsets. (Reuters)  
 
   
  DoCoMo Exceeds FOMA Sales Goal for FY02
Tuesday, April 8, 2003
  Summary Sales of NTT DoCoMo Inc’s FOMA third-generation mobile phones through the end of March came to 329,000 units, surpassing the company’s goal for fiscal 2002. By the end of February, sales of FOMA handsets totaled 191,500 units, making it doubtful whether the company would be able to reach its March-end goal of 320,000 units. But sales of the new P2102V, which debuted March 15, have been very strong. In only half a month, more than 100,000 handsets were sold. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/4/2003
  NTT DoCoMo achieves 320,000 FOMA subscriber target
Friday, April 4, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo said it had achieved its target of 320,000 subscribers for its high-speed third-generation FOMA service by March. The company introduced advanced handsets and expanded the area coverage, which both helped to the growth of the subscriber base. Last November NTT DoCoMo cut its 3G subscriber target from 1.38 million due to slow uptake. The exact number of its 3G users as of March 31 was not yet clear although it is certain that subscribers exceeded 320,000, the company explained. (Telecom Paper)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/3/2003
  NTT warns of deep profit drop due to new tax law
Thursday, April 3, 2003
  Summary Japan’s dominant telecoms firm NTT warned its forecast group net profit for the year to March may be billions of dollars less than expected due to a new tax law. The Local Taxes Amendment Law, promulgated at the end of March, will remove a loop hole in accounting rules that enables Japanese firms to inflate balance sheets by including such items as deferred tax assets. (Hindustan Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 4/1/2003
  AT&T Could Owe DoCoMo Under Wireless Pact
Tuesday, April 1, 2003
  Summary AT&T Corp. could owe Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc. $3.6 billion if its former wireless unit, AT&T Wireless Services Inc., fails to offer third-generation wireless service in four U.S. cities by the end of next year as planned. (Wall Street Journal)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/31/2003
  DoCoMo To Halt New Applications For Some Phone Svcs
Monday, March 31, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. said Friday it will stop accepting new applications for subscriptions to its airline and satellite phone services April 30. The move is part of the company’s ongoing review of its wide range of mobile communications services. DoCoMo said it will continue to assess its airline and satellite phone services, including whether to terminate these services, while monitoring subscriber use. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/28/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Introduce First GPS-Enabled I-Mode Phone Handset
Friday, March 28, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc announced that it would introduce its first Global Positioning Service (GPS)-compatible handset, dubbed F661i, at the end of April. The GPS mobile phone enables users to determine their location at the touch of a button, and download map data and information about the area. "It requires approximately 20 seconds to display the map after touching the GPS button," said Satoshi Yoshida, senior manager, Ubiquitas Business Dept at NTT DoCoMo. "The handset is targeted mainly at corporate users," Yoshida added. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/27/2003
  NTT DoCoMo to Sell Wristwatch-Type PHS Phone
Thursday, March 27, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc has developed a wristwatch-type personal handyphone system handset, "Wristomo," and will make it available for consumers. It claimed that it is the world’s first wristwatch PHS phone ever available to consumers. The "Wristomo" provides users with mailing and browsing at a transfer rate of 64kbps, and accessing local contents using a location information function. It can synchronize with the address book and scheduler data created by Microsoft Outlook via a PHS Internet connection or an optional cable. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo Plans Multifaceted Approach On 3G
Thursday, March 27, 2003
  Summary Hoping to attract more customers to its struggling third-generation wireless service, NTT DoCoMo Inc. plans to tweak - almost everything. DoCoMo will release lighter 3G handsets with longer battery lives, offer more 3G multimedia applications and change the fee arrangement to make the 3G service cheaper and easier to use. That multifaceted strategy will put the mobile phone giant on track to have 1.38 million 3G subscribers by the end of March 2004. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/26/2003
  DoCoMo Hasn’t Set Start Date For Wrist-PHS Orders
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
  Summary Remember the square-jawed Dick Tracy shouting into his wrist radio? If he were around today, he would probably be wearing this - the world’s first wristwatch-style personal handyphone system, or PHS, mobile phone, from NTT DoCoMo Inc. Unveiled Wednesday, the phone enables users to talk continuously for about 120 minutes without recharging the unit, and transfers data at up to 64 Kbps. It went on sale via the Internet the same day. The PHS phone may be one of the more marketable products that the creative bunch at NTT DoCoMo’s research lab have devised. Back in 2000, DoCoMo surprised the tech world with a demonstration of its finger phone, a wireless wristband phone that allowed users to hear incoming calls by sticking a finger in their ear. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
  DoCoMo wins spam-mail fight in Tokyo court
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Corp, Japan’s dominant mobile phone carrier, won a victory against junk "spam" e-mail on Tuesday when a Tokyo court ordered compensation for the costs of sending unsolicited messages over its wireless Internet service. In the first court decision against Japan’s spam mailers, who regularly flood wireless e-mail networks with randomly addressed advertisements for pornography or dating services, a Tokyo company was ordered to pay DoCoMo 6.57 million yen ($54,420). (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/19/2003
  DoCoMo 2G ARPU is higher than those of 3G
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
  Summary Japan’s biggest mobile-phone company NTT DoCoMo generates less ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) from customers on FOMA 3G wireless service that enable video-conferencing and high-speed Internet access than those on conventional 2G i-mode service, the Financial Times Deutschland reported, citing board member Takanori Utano. NTT DoCoMo 3G ARPU was 10,400 Yen ($77.8) per month from October to December 2001 - around 25% higher than the 8,500 Yen for the current imode service. However in 2002, FOMA ARPU drop to 8,000. However with the expensive video communication novelty disappearing, the average monthly ARPU in 2002 for FOMA dropped to 8,300 Yen while i-mode’s ARPU reminded static. (3G Newsroom)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/18/2003
  DoCoMo: No Fee-Cut Decisions Yet
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo says considering charging lower rates for mobile phone services, but no decisions yet; mobile giant denies Nikkei report firm to cut weekday daytime call rates for calls from fixed-line to mobile phones to Y70 from Y80 for 3 minutes. Fixed-line operators demanding price-setting right held by mobile operators for calls from fixed-line to mobile phones, citing relatively high fees for fixed-to-mobile calls offered by mobile operators. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
  DoCoMo Pres: Still Hopeful Of Hitting 3G User Target
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. President Keiji Tachikawa said Friday he expects subscribers to the firm’s mobile-phone service to top its previous target for the current fiscal year. DoCoMo had forecast 43.62 million subscribers at the March-31 end of this fiscal year. Tachikawa said the company now expects a 10% rise in subscribers from the end of last fiscal year, when it had 40.78 million users. The new projection would give DoCoMo about 44.86 million subscribers. He said the number of subscribers to the company’s 3G mobile phone service "FOMA" totaled about 220,000 as of March 13. This suggests it’ll be difficult for DoCoMo to meet its target of 320,000 FOMA users by the end of March. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/13/2003
  NTT DoCoMo shows off latest 3G handset: CeBIT
Thursday, March 13, 2003
  Summary CeBIT: DoCoMo keeps tightlipped but optimistic about future i-mode expansion in Europe as crowds gather to watch its newest video phone in action. Japanese mobile giant NTT DoCoMo drew large crowds at CeBIT on Tuesday afternoon with a demonstration of its latest 3G handset. Although the world's largest ICT show doesn't officially kick off until Wednesday, journalists packed out a press conference at which DoCoMo demonstrated a 3G call; the company also suggested that its i-mode mobile service might soon be available in more European countries than at present. (ZDNET)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/12/2003
  DoCoMo to offer Linux-based 3G phones - source
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc , Japan’s top mobile operator, aims to offer third-generation (3G) handsets that run on the Linux-based operating system (OS) as early as the second half of 2004, a source close to the firm said on Tuesday. Linux software is free and can be copied or modified, unlike rival Microsoft Corp’s software, and has become popular among companies looking to lower the cost of using computer systems. DoCoMo has already offered handset makers specifications of the kind of Linux-based OS suitable for its 3G handsets in order to help them cut development and manufacturing costs, the source said. (Reuters)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo to Introduce the New FOMA P2102V Videophone Model
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo the introduction of the FOMA P2102V, the company’s first 3G videophone handset capable of video clip e-mailing and extended stand-by time, and the first FOMA model to accept memory cards. The P2102V will go on sale nationwide on March 15, 2003. With DoCoMo’s i-motion mail service, the FOMA P2102V can e-mail up to approx. 24-second (100 KB) video clips created with either of its two built-in cameras, or downloaded from the i-mode site. (The P2102V shoots video at up to 15 frames/second.) Video clips can even be recorded and transmitted while the user simultaneously makes a videophone call. (3G Newsroom)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/11/2003
  DoCoMo, Samsung team up to develop ’i-mode’ phones
Tuesday, March 11, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s largest mobile phone service operator, said on Monday it would join South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co to develop Internet-enabled "i-mode" handsets for markets outside Japan. The handsets, due to hit stores in early 2004, would mark the first joint product effort between DoCoMo and Samsung, the world’s third-largest cellphone maker and an arch-rival of Japan’s electronics conglomerates. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/10/2003
  Docomo receives shareholders loan request from H3G UK
Monday, March 10, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has received a Funding Call Notice from Hutchison 3G UK, seeking a shareholders loan advancement of 200 million pounds (EUR 295.78 million) from Docomo, in accordance with the 20% proportional equity interest in H3G UK. H3G UK delivered the Funding Call Notice to DoCoMo pursuant to a provision of the Shareholders Agreement between Hutchison Whampoa and DoCoMo that stipulates that DoCoMo is contractually obligated to provide up to 200 million pounds as a loan advance if certain pre-conditions are fulfilled. DoCoMo will announce its response to the Funding Call Notice by the middle of April. (Telecom Paper)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/7/2003
  DoCoMo posts record 3G user growth in Feb
Friday, March 7, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc posted record growth in the number of users of its third-generation (3G) mobile phones in February, an industry group said on Friday, boosted by new handsets with longer battery life. DoCoMo won a net 37,000 new subscribers for its 3G service, which offers video-conferencing and high-speed Web connection, the Telecommunications Carriers Association said. The figure was up from net growth of 2,600 in the previous month. (Reuters)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo To Launch Flat-Fee, 24/7 PHS Svc Apr 1
Friday, March 7, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. (DCM or 9432) said Thursday it will launch a flat-fee, round-the-clock personal handyphone system (PHS) wireless communications service on April 1. The move reflects the company’s efforts to catch up with KDDI Corp.’s (J.KDD or 9433) DDI Pocket Inc., the largest provider of a personal handyphone wireless communications service. The service, called "@FreeD," will enable users of personal digital assistants and notebook computers to access the Internet via card-type PHS terminals. Japan’s mobile phone giant will sell two models of card-type PHS terminals compatible with the new service. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 3/3/2003
  When Will FOMA Models Gain Mainstream Status?
Monday, March 3, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc’s next-generation "FOMA" mobile phones have gained only about 150,000 users as of the end of December 2002, after more than a year since their service start. The primary reason for the lack of popularity is the fact that they are not considered to have offered 3G capabilities. As a matter of fact, the 3G capabilities of FOMA do not match what they are supposed to be compared to the current PDC-format mobile phones in various respects. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  DoCoMo plans flat-rate mobile Web access service
Monday, March 3, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said on Friday it plans to launch a flat-rate wireless Web access service using its personal handyphone system (PHS) network, in a bid to shore up its flagging PHS operation. In launching a flat-rate service, DoCoMo would be following in the footsteps of DDI Pocket, a unit of rival KDDI Corp which boosted its PHS subscriber base, despite an overall decline in PHS users, after launching a flat-rate Internet access service in 2001. In contrast to DDI Pocket's operating profit of 9.1 billion yen in the half year to last September, DoCoMofs PHS division posted an operating loss of 15.6 billion yen in the same period. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/24/2003
  Macromedia, DoCoMo to Jointly Offer Motion Image Software
Monday, February 24, 2003
  Summary Macromedia Inc., a major producer of multimedia-related software, said on February 23 it and NTT DoCoMo Inc. have agreed to jointly provide motion-image software to be used in conjunction with the Japanese cell phone firm’s i-mode Internet service. The software will make it easier to browse Web sites carrying motion images on cell phones compatible with the i-mode service. The software, called Flash, which has been created by Macromedia, is installed in over 90% of personal computers that can access the Internet. DoCoMo is due to market this year a cell phone handset coded 505i, with the pre-installed Macromedia program. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/10/2003
  Subscribers to NTT DoCoMo 3G mobile service top one million
Monday, February 10, 2003
  Summary More than one million subscribers had signed up to the 3G mobile phone service of Japanfs leading cellphone carrier, NTT DoCoMo Inc.as of the end of September. The latest incarnation of the 3G service features lighter handsets weighing only 109 grams (under four ounces) in the latest model, while battery standby time for FOMA models has been improved to about 310 hours from its initial 55 hours. The pace of new subscribers is rising due to the more advanced and lighter handsets, while the FOMA area coverage has grown drastically over the years. (Yahoo! News)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 2/8/2003
  NTT Docomo Transfers Satellite Assets to JSAT; Acquires Stock
Saturday, February 8, 2003
  Summary JSAT Corporation and NTT DoCoMo, Inc. has reached an agreement on the transfer of NTT DoCoMo’s interest in two jointly owned communications satellites-- N-STARa and N-STARb-- to JSAT. In the agreement, NTT DoCoMo will lease the two satellites from JSAT to continue providing its proprietary satellite mobile communications service. NTT DoCoMo will also acquire a strategic equity interest in JSAT to continue to ensure the provision of reliable services. (JapanCorp.net)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/21/2003
  DoCoMo predicts four survivors in European mobile market
Tuesday, January 21, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc is predicting that Europe can only support four mobile operators at most, and has signaled its willingness to invest in one of the survivors, despite being badly hit financially by its overseas expansion policy. (Datamonitor) (Datamonitor)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/20/2003
  DoCoMo to Offer Videomail
Monday, January 20, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that the N2051 3G handset, which offers extended stand-by time and the ability to e-mail video clips, will go on sale January 23, 2003.The N2051 boasts the longest battery life of any FOMA model, providing approximately 180 hours of continuous dynamic stand-by, or about 250 hours of static stand-by. In addition, the N2051 is compatible with the new i-motion mail service, which enables users to e-mail approximately 15-second/100 KB video clips taken either with the handset’s built-in dual cameras or downloaded from sites. The phone shoots video content at a rate of up to 15 frames/second. (Unstrung)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo To Limit Photo Downloads
Monday, January 20, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will limit the number of downloads of photographs taken by its "i-shot" camera-equipped cellular phones to 50, starting Feb. 17. The move is aimed at curbing unsolicited "spam" e-mails having attached photos. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/19/2003
  AOL, NTT DoCoMo in Wireless Net Pact
Sunday, January 19, 2003
  Summary America Online, Inc. and Japan’s NTT DoCoMo announced plans Wednesday to provide wireless Internet services in Japan and other countries as well. The deal gives NTT DoCoMo a 42.3 percent stake in AOL Japan, which includes a cash contribution of about US$100 million, while AOL’s stake in its Japanese affiliate will be reduced to 40.3 percent. As part of the agreement, AOL Mail and Instant Messenger will be featured on NTT DoCoMo’s i-mode mobile Internet service, which has more than 12 million subscribers. The two companies will promote each other’s services in Japan. (ECommerce Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/17/2003
  DoCoMo helps out 3G handset makers
Friday, January 17, 2003
  Summary Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo said it would provide about 40 billion yen ($339 million) in subsidies to manufacturers to develop handsets for its 3G FOMA network. The company will pay to handset vendors about half of the cost of developing each 3G model. It was reported that developing software and microprocessors for FOMA WCDMA phones costs 10 times more than conventional handsets. Handset vendors are facing huge cost in developing handsets for 3G but are finding it difficult to recover the costs. The first wave of subsidises will go to NEC, Fujitsu and Matsushita Electric Industrial. (3G Newsroom)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo Developing Downlink High Speed Packet Tranfers
Friday, January 17, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc has begun to develop terminals designed for High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), a technology to speed up downstream packet data transmission of W-CDMA, a third-generation mobile communication system. The carrier already has started producing HSDPA-compatible prototypes in collaboration with two or more mobile phone makers, with the intention of launching test transmissions through the terminals from the autumn of 2003 at the earliest. Positioning HSDPA as a higher-speed version of FOMA, HSDPA is a standard that can speed up the maximum downstream data transmission up to 14.4Mbps using a 5MHz frequency band, just as in the case with W-CDMA. From 2004 to 2005, HSDPA-capable mobile phones will be put on the market. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/15/2003
  DoCoMo considering international options
Wednesday, January 15, 2003
  Summary Japan’s top mobile phone carrier, NTT DoCoMo Inc, said on Tuesday it has not ruled out the possibility of a fresh equity tie-up with a European operator despite a massive special loss in its overseas investments. "The comment came after the Financial Times quoted NTT DoCoMo President Keiji Tachikawa as saying DoCoMo aims to link up with one of the top four European carriers that are likely to emerge following industry consolidation over the next year or two. Tachikawa was also quoted in the newspaper interview as saying that the possible ties would be better if they took the form of an equity relationship. The DoCoMo spokesman, however, played down the report by the Financial Times, saying there was no concrete plan at the moment for a fresh tie-up with a European operator. (PMN)  
 
   
  DoCoMo Tachikawa: To Further Enhance 3G Handsets This Yr
Wednesday, January 15, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. plans to further enhance its third-generation "FOMA" mobile phones this year, DoCoMo President and Chief Executive Keiji Tachikawa said Tuesday. "Our target is to release a (3G) handset with a standby battery time of more than 300 hours in the fall of this year," Tachikawa said in a speech at Marcus Evans’ 3G Mobile World Forum in Chiba. "Around the spring of this year, we are planning to release a dual-mode 2G and 3G handset, because currently more than 30% of the 3G subscribers are using the dual network service," Tachikawa said. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/14/2003
  DoCoMo to link FOMA with PCs via videophone
Tuesday, January 14, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will begin a trial service as early as February to allow subscribers to its FOMA third-generation mobile phone system to communicate with personal computer users on videophones, sources close to the company said Saturday. The move, with a full service scheduled to start by the end of the year at the earliest, will allow FOMA users to participate, for example, in company meetings even if they are away from their workplaces or to send video images to their family at home from different locations. At present, FOMA users can see and speak with each other through video monitors attached to handsets for about 50 yen a minute. (Japan Times)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/12/2003
  Renault and NTT DoCoMo F1 Sponsorship Rumors
Sunday, January 12, 2003
  Summary There have been rumors in recent days suggesting that Renault F1 in on the verge of announcing a new sponsorship deal with mobile phone giant NTT DoCoMo, the wireless company that was spun off from Nippon Telegraph and Telephone. NTT DoCoMo is one of the biggest mobile phone operators in the world and is in competition with Ferrari sponsor Vodafone. The deal makes a lot of sense because NTT DoCoMo is closely linked to Renaults Japanese partner Nissan, developing automotive multimedia services, which the two companies hope to be able market worldwide in the future, their aim being to sell the service to other automobile companies. (GrandPrix.com)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/8/2003
  DoCoMo rides out ratings downgrade
Wednesday, January 8, 2003
  Summary Japan’s biggest stock, NTT DoCoMo, is trading higher Wednesday after ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service cut its long-term debt outlook from stable to negative. Moody’s said Tuesday it was changing from stable to negative the outlook for DocoMo’s Aa1 senior long-term debt ratings. Moody’s said the change reflected its concern over the future of DoCoMo’s competitive advantage in third-generation (3G) telecommunications services. These 3G services -- which offer video, audio and data capability, along with high-speed Internet access -- were important for maintaining the long-term stability of the company’s cash flow. (CNN)  
 
   
  DoCoMo to raise Y50 bil in bonds aimed at individuals
Wednesday, January 8, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc said Wednesday it plans to raise 50 billion yen with the issuance of four-year domestic bonds targeted at individual investors. It will be the first time the dominant Japanese mobile phone service provider has issued bonds to individual investors. NTT DoCoMo said its decision to tap the retail bond market is designed to diversify ways of raising funds on top of fund raising through institutional investors. (Kyodo News)  
 
   
  NTT Docomo slashes 3G capex
Wednesday, January 8, 2003
  Summary NTT Docomo is taking an axe to capital expenditure in 2003, following disappointing take-up of its FOMA 3G service. In its next financial year starting April, the Japanese firm will spend around 800bn yen on its 3G network infrastructure($6.9bn), 11 per cent down on this year’s 891bn yen. (The Register)  
 
   
  DoCoMo To Offer Video Streaming to PCs
Wednesday, January 8, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo is reported to be planning to offer a 3G video streaming service that will send pictures from mobile handsets to PCs. According to Dow Jones Newswires, DoCoMo is teaming up with NTT Broadband to develop and market the service. At present it is only possible for users of DoCoMo’s 3G FOMA service to send video clips to other FOMA subscribers. With only just over 149,000 individuals signed up to FOMA, the appeal of mobile video services has so far been limited. (BWCS)  
 
   
  DoCoMo hit by Moodyfs downgrade
Wednesday, January 8, 2003
  Summary Moodyfs Investors Service Inc. said Tuesday it has changed the outlook for the Aa1 senior long-term debt ratings on NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japanfs dominant mobile phone operator, to negative from stable. "The change reflects Moodyfs concern over the future of DoCoMofs competitive advantage in third-generation (3G) telecommunications services, which are important for maintaining the long-term stability of the companyfs cash flow generation," the U.S. credit-rating agency said. (Japan Times)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo to Cap Spending Next Year as FOMA Sales Fizzle
Wednesday, January 8, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc., the world’s second-biggest mobile phone operator, will cap spending on new equipment next fiscal year at current levels because expansion won’t bolster its high-speed wireless Internet service. DoCoMo Chief Executive Officer Keiji Tachikawa said in an interview the company will spend about 800 billion yen ($6.7 billion) to build networks and base stations for mobile phones, including its FOMA high-speed network, in the year starting April 1. It plans to spend about 891 billion yen this year, he said. ``Reckless spending on network expansion won’t help promote FOMA,’’ Tachikawa said. ``So we’d better focus more on returns on investment.’’ (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/7/2003
  New i-Mode wireless phone
Tuesday, January 7, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. will begin marketing a new i-shot compatible handset, the mova F504iS with dual cameras. The F504iS is third in the 504iS series DoCoMo launched in November to meet the growing Japanese market demand for camera-equipped phones. This PDC-based i-Mode series offers packet data transmission speeds of up to 28.8 Kbps, infrared communications and i-appli capability. The new F504iS features two built-in 110,000-pixel CCD cameras. The inner camera located on the main display lets users take self-portrait shots, while the external camera on the backside of the phone allows scenic or group photos. Users can easily switch between cameras with the simple touch of a button. (3G.co.uk)  
 
   
  DoCoMo expects five-fold increase in European i-mode users
Tuesday, January 7, 2003
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has said that it expects its European i-mode subscriber base to rise from a present level of 200,000 to 1m by the end of 2003. In order to boost subscriber numbers, NTT DoCoMo plans to make available a wider range of i-mode enabled handsets, to be produced by vendors other than the present two suppliers, NEC and Toshiba. (Europemedia.net)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 1/6/2003
  DoCoMo eyes European expansion
Monday, January 6, 2003
  Summary Mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo plans expand the European user base of its i-mode five-fold to one million users this year. DoCoMo will increase the number of i-mode terminal suppliers in Europe from the existing two Japanese companies to between seven and 10 suppliers, the major newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported. Telefonica Moviles of Spain is also due to start the DoCoMo i-mode service in a few months. DoCoMo plans to expand its i-mode support staff in Europe from the present 50 workers, including those based in the company’s Dutch subsidiary, the report added. (News.com.au)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/27/2002
  DoCoMo, AT&T to Start 3G Service by Dec 2004
Friday, December 27, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s dominant mobile phone company, said on Thursday it will begin offering third-generation (3G) wireless data services in four U.S. cities with AT&T Wireless Services Inc by December 2004. The service, which offers high-speed Internet access and face-to-face video calling, will be launched in San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas and San Diego. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/26/2002
  NTT DoCoMo to Increase Stake in Software Firm
Thursday, December 26, 2002
  Summary Japan’s top wireless telecoms carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc is to inject $13.63 million into software developer Access Co Ltd, raising its stake to 9.61 percent, Access said on Thursday. The two firms have agreed a deal in which Access, which makes software for mobile phones and digital home appliances, will issue 1,400 new shares on January 16 to DoCoMo, which already owns a two percent stake in it. The move is aimed at strengthening their joint development of a browser for DoCoMo’s future mobile phones, an Access spokesman said. The transaction will make DoCoMo the fourth-largest shareholder in Access. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/25/2002
  NTT DoCoMo Puts Emphasis on Cell Phones with Cameras
Wednesday, December 25, 2002
  Summary The strategies of the three major cell phone carriers in Japan can be seen from the semiannual financial settlements in 2002. As the cell phone market becomes saturated, every carrier is focusing on cell phones with a built-in camera, which can increase data communications charges. None of the carriers is aggressively emphasizing third-generation cell phones. The catchy "Sha-Mail," by J-Phone Co., Ltd. has boosted the market of cell phones with a built-in camera and shaken the strategies of competitors, but it also is clear that no carrier has yet to find the killer apps, other than camera-equipped cell phones. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
  DoCoMo finds spam tough to swallow
Wednesday, December 25, 2002
  Summary Advertisers sending unwanted e-mail trick filtering programs. Spammers preying on cellphone users are finding new ways to get around efforts by network operators to slow a deluge of unwanted e-mail. One cellphone carrier said 90 percent of spammers are now using illegal methods. Replacing a character or inserting a space in the legally required header for unsolicited e-mail, for example, enables the message to slip through spam filters. `We are aware spam is getting through (to cellphone users),’’ said an official of the telecommunications ministry. ``We hope to catch senders somehow, but they are difficult to trace. There are no good ideas on how to fight them.’’ (Asahi)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/24/2002
  KPN Mobile’s Xmas Cheer : i-mode in Europe
Tuesday, December 24, 2002
  Summary KPN managed to sign up its 100,000th i-Mode customer in the Netherlands. Given that across its three mobile operators -- E-Plus Mobilfunk GmbH in Germany and BASE in Belgium, in addition to the Dutch parent -- just 143,000 users were recorded in November, there has clearly been a pre-Christmas surge. Spokeswoman Carla van Lomwel says "E-Plus also has more than 100,000 i-Mode users," but that it’s too early to give any figures for the Belgian operation, which only launched its i-Mode service in October. This gives KPN more than 200,000 i-Moders in total, having launched in Germany in March 2002, and in the Netherlands in April. The company has a target of 1 million i-Mode users in the combined territories before the end of 2003. (Unstrung)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/23/2002
  DoCoMo Camera Phone Sales Exceed 4 Million
Monday, December 23, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that sales of i-shotEhandsets have topped the 4 million mark, some six months after DoCoMo’s i-shot service was introduced. i-shot allows subscribers to transmit still images taken with compatible mobile phones having built-in digital cameras to virtually any device capable of receiving e-mail. Following the successful launch of this series, i-shot sales began accelerating at a rapid pace, reaching 4 million just three weeks after topping the 3 million mark. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/20/2002
  FOMA handsets delayed
Friday, December 20, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has announced that the introduction of its new FOMA handsets, announced earlier this month, will be delayed at least until January 2003. DoCoMo had said that the first model would be available 20th December 2002. (PMN.co.uk)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/19/2002
  DoCoMo abandons Microsoft video format
Thursday, December 19, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo is switching from a Microsoft video format to an open industry standard for its video-on-demand service offered over its third-generation cellular network. The company is dropping the use of ASF (Advanced Streaming Format) on its i-motion service in favour of MP4, a wrapper format for MPEG4 video and audio and text, because of the cost of licensing fees levied for use of the system by Microsoft, according to an NTT DoCoMo spokeswoman. (CW360)  
 
   
  DoCoMo President Tachikawa Anticipates Developments Abroad
Thursday, December 19, 2002
  Summary "We expect that Hutchison 3G UK Ltd. will swing into full-scale W-CDMA service at the beginning of the new year," NTT DoCoMo President Keiji Tachikawa said at a regular news conference on Dec. 12. He was discussing the future outlook abroad for the W-CDMA third-generation (3G) mobile phone. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/18/2002
  DoCoMo Looks Beyond Current 3G Services
Wednesday, December 18, 2002
  Summary Japanese newspaper Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun reported today that NTT DoCoMo is preparing to switch to an advanced FOMA 3G service in just over two years time. While some critics argue that the mobile operator should concentrate on getting its current FOMA offering up to scratch, the paper claims that the new service will greatly increase data speeds available to customers. If the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun report is correct, then the giant Japanese mobile operator would be able to hold out the promise of increasing its mobile data rates to 14.4Mbps, up from the currently available 384kbps. (BWCS)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/13/2002
  DoCoMo says plans share buyback in 03/04
Friday, December 13, 2002
  Summary Japan’s top wireless operator, NTT DoCoMo Inc, said on Thursday it planned to buy back some of its own shares in the business year starting next April, but did not indicate the scale of the buy-back."Given the sluggish performance of our share price, an ideal way to reward shareholders using our free cash flow would be a buy-back of our own shares," DoCoMo President Keiji Tachikawa told a regular news conference when asked what steps the company was planning regarding its ample cash flow. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/11/2002
  New NTT DoCoMo FOMA Models
Wednesday, December 11, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. will introduce three new 3G mobile phones featuring continuous dynamic stand-by of approximately 170-180 hours or 230-250 hours of static stand-by time, approximately 3.3 times longer than the original FOMA models. The three models are the N2051 (mid December release), F2051 (late December) and P2102V (late January). (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
  DoCoMo Unveils New Handsets to Recharge Flagging 3G
Wednesday, December 11, 2002
  Summary Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc. rolled out third-generation (3G) mobile phones on Tuesday with a much longer battery life and promised more improvements next year as it struggles to recharge the flagging high-speed service. Japan’s dominant mobile phone company said the three new handsets, made by NEC Corp., Fujitsu Ltd. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., offer at least 40 percent longer battery life than current models. The new phones, the first of which will hit shelves as early as mid-December, can run for 170 to 180 hours in standby mode before needing a recharge, up from 125 hours in its last model, from Toshiba Corp, and 55 hours in earlier models. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/6/2002
  DoCoMo looks to Europe for potential growth
Friday, December 6, 2002
  Summary The company sees more of an opportunity in the European market than in Asia, despite the failure of an earlier mobile technology. NTT DoCoMo Inc is turning to Europe as the market with the greatest potential to expand its most popular Internet service because carriers there are more likely to embrace it than those in Asia, a DoCoMo executive said. "I see more potential in Europe," said Takeshi Natsuno, general manager of strategy for i-mode, which offers cellphone users online shopping and entertainment. "European carriers are trying to distinguish themselves by providing unique services." I-mode subscribers in Europe will probably top 1 million by the end of next year, compared with about 100,000 at the end of August, Natsuno said in an interview. (Taipei Times)  
 
   
  Toyota, NTT DoCoMo, Decide on Hands-Free Specification
Friday, December 6, 2002
  Summary Toyota Motor Corp., Denso Corp., NTT DoCoMo Inc., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Toshiba Corp. jointly defined a Bluetooth wireless hands-free specification to be applied inside automobiles. The specification is called "Car Communication Application Promotion" (CCAP). With a Bluetooth-based wireless connection between a mobile phone and car audio equipment inside the car, the system will provide safer communication in a moving car. (NEAsia Online)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/5/2002
  DoCoMo set to reject KPN Mobile capital plea
Thursday, December 5, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s largest wireless carrier, is leaning towards rejecting a capital increase for Dutch telecom operator KPN Mobile NV, a source at DoCoMo said on Friday. The source said DoCoMo would probably make a formal announcement some time next week. DoCoMo could have purchased new shares in KPN Mobile to maintain its 15 percent stake after parent company KPN Telecom NV KPN.AS said in November it would purchase new shares in the mobile unit as part of a debt-for-equity swap. The request for additional capital comes as Japan’s dominant mobile phone operator faces increasing criticism from shareholders about its 1.9 trillion yen ($15.22 billion) in overseas investments, which backfired after the burst of the tech and telecoms bubble. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 12/4/2002
  Japan’s DoCoMo eyes pet-tracking, health services for growth
Wednesday, December 4, 2002
  Summary If your beloved dog goes astray in Japan a few years from now, you may find him more quickly with a wireless device than by sticking notices on telephone poles. Pet-tracking is just one of the applications cellular giant NTT DoCoMo Inc is looking at to boost demand. Like cellular carriers in many markets nearing saturation, DoCoMo is desperate to come up with reasons for people to use more wireless services. ``Some people say growth comes to a halt if cellphone usage reaches 70 or 80 percent of the population. But that’s only one way of looking at it,’’ NTT DoCoMo Senior Vice President Tamon Mitsuishi told Reuters in an interview. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/27/2002
  DoCoMo camera phone sales accelerate
Wednesday, November 27, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has sold 3m handsets with integrated digital cameras since June 2002, and more than 1m since 13th October 2002. The rate of adoption is accelerating as DoCoMo expands the range of handsets available with new products for both entry level and high end consumers. DoCoMo has also added an instant reply capability to its i-Shot picture messaging service, simplifying the process of exchanging messages. About 7 percent of DoCoMo’s 42m customers are now equipped with camera phones, compared to over 50 percent at rival J-Phone. (PMN)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/26/2002
  Showing emotions over e-mail
Tuesday, November 26, 2002
  Summary Anyone who’s tried to sound sarcastic or sensitive in an e-mail, only to find that the point didn’t quite get across as intended, understands that text messages often come across as too blunt. So the Japanese cellphone company NTT DoCoMo is working on a human-sized experimental robot that someday might use gestures to augment mobile communications. In a future envisioned by the company, a home robot will read e-mail while moving in exactly the same way as the sender did while speaking the message, perhaps with a little shrug or a tilt of the head. (digitalMASS.com)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/21/2002
  DoCoMo Gives ISPs Access To i-mode
Thursday, November 21, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has introduced a service that enables ISPs to offer i-mode services via its second-generation PDC network. The move is aimed both at bringing fixed line and mobile internet services closer together and further enhancing the content available via i-mode. The new packet data service will allow ISPs to generate new revenues by offering online content to DoCoMo’s 35 million i-mode customers. Meanwhile, mobile users will be able to send and receive emails via their normal ISP mail account. (BWCS)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/20/2002
  DoCoMo introduces remote control handset
Wednesday, November 20, 2002
  Summary DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that the company will market its N504iS from November 22, 2002. The N504iS is second in the 504iS series DoCoMo launched last week to meet the growing Japanese market demand for camera-equipped phones. Integrating an infrared communications port, the new i-Shot compatible N504iS is the first DoCoMo phone that can be used as a remote control for TV, video and other appliances. The N504iS features a built-in 310,000-pixel CMOS camera with 3x zoom lens and five settings for adjusting brightness. A separate macro lens, when attached, allows users to take extreme close-up shots of such written material as phone numbers, e-mail addresses or URLs. These numbers and addresses are automatically formatted and stored for easy access. (PMN)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/17/2002
  NTT back in black, sales dip raises concern
Sunday, November 17, 2002
  Summary Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp, the world’s biggest telecoms firm by sales, said on Monday its earnings rose strongly in the first half of the year as it shifted workers into lower paying jobs, but analysts said weaker sales may be a precursor to more cost cutting. Sales slipped 1.7 percent to 5.37 trillion yen ($45 billion) from the previous year as fierce price competition hit NTT’s fixed-line business and growth slowed at its mobile phone unit. It was the first decline in sales since the company’s privatisation in 1985. (Reuters)  
 
   
  NTT expected to return to profit in H1
Sunday, November 17, 2002
  Summary Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, the world’s biggest telecoms firm by sales, is likely to report a strong rebound in half-year earnings but investors will be looking for signs that streamlining will lead to more growth. The company’s share price has largely factored in an expected cut in its forecast for full-year net profit to reflect hefty charges by mobile unit NTT DoCoMo Inc, which has chalked up big losses in its overseas investments. Investors are expected to focus on operating profit, which is not affected by one-off items such as writedowns on foreign investments, and is considered a better indicator of whether cuts in personnel costs and other streamlining is working. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/15/2002
  NTT DoCoMo says KPN Mobile wants capital injection
Friday, November 15, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s largest wireless carrier, said on Friday it had received a request from Dutch telecom operator KPN Mobile N.V. to inject more capital into it and maintain the Japanese operator’s current 15 percent voting interest. The request was made as KPN N.V. is to purchase new shares to be issued by KPN Mobile, the Japanese carrier said in a statement. NTT DoCoMo said it has not decided on its response, but will make a decision by the middle of December. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/14/2002
  NTT DoCoMo to Establish New U.S. Advisory Board
Thursday, November 14, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that the company will set up a second U.S. Advisory Board with new members on November 15, 2002. The first Advisory Board, established in December 2000, completed its mission in November 2002. The panel will meet twice a year in the U.S. to provide DoCoMo with advice and insight on social and economic circumstances from a global perspective regarding management policy. DoCoMo believes that such counsel is important for the company to maintain its position as a leading global telecommunications entity-one that is truly in touch with society and is demonstrating this by creating a new "communication culture." (Japan CorpNet)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/13/2002
  DoCoMo Claims 3D First
Wednesday, November 13, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. just has to be first, doesn’t it? Not happy with simply being first with 3G (in a WCDMA sort of way), now it says it’s going to be first with 3D. How exciting is this? Well, when you think about the amount of image depth you are likely to get on a mobile phone screen, it may not seem like the catalyst for an impulse purchase. In Japan, though, any new technical innovation inspires a spike in handset sales, so DoCoMo can expect a few net gains to its subscriber base as well as the migration of some current users to the i-shot service. (Unstrung)  
 
   
  Latest i-shot Model Offers First 3D Mobile Phone Screen
Wednesday, November 13, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. will introduce a new i-shot handset, the SH251iS featuring a 3D color LCD, on November 16, 2002. The company’s popular i-shot service allows users to transmit still images taken with compatible mobile phones having built-in digital cameras. The SH251iS is the world’s first mobile handset to incorporate a 3D color LCD and 3D editor function, enabling users to convert 2D still shots and downloaded content into 3D images. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/8/2002
  NTT DoCoMo is streaming video to cell phones
Friday, November 8, 2002
  Summary Similarly as year 2002 was a year of color displays in cell phones, the year 2003 will be a year of video in cell phones...M-stage V Live is a streaming service for video that is being provided by in Japan by cellular network operator NTT DoCoMo. The platform used is NEC’s StreamPro - a streaming content distribution platform. The service distributes both life and archived video streams to PDAs that are connected to PHS compatbile cell phones in NTT DoCoMo network. (Wireless Software.Info)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/7/2002
  NEC Implements NTT DoCoMo’s Streaming Service
Thursday, November 7, 2002
  Summary Nov. 6, 2002. NEC Solutions announced has implemented M-stage V Live, NTT DoCoMo’s video streaming service, on StreamPro, its streaming content distribution platform. A new DoCoMo service launched on October 1, M-stage V Live distributes live and archived videos to PDAs connected to DoCoMo PHS handsets. The DoCoMo service also uses pv3 Mobilemedia System, US company PacketVideo’s mobile video distribution system. It complies with the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) standard, and makes it possible to transmit MPEG4 videos. The NEC platform also supports industry standard streaming formats such as Windows Media Technologies and RealVideo. (Japan Corporate News)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo reports falling profits, ARPU
Thursday, November 7, 2002
  Summary Nov. 7, 2002. Profits at NTT DoCoMo fell 95 percent to just YEN 4.17b (USD 34.28m) for the half year ending September 2002. The figures were hit by DoCoMo’s switch to US accounting standards and the decision to recognise a YEN 573b impairement to its foreign investments. Revenues were up just under 2 percent at YEN 2.38 trillion. ARPU for i-Mode rose slightly from YEN 1,540 to YEN 1,670. The percentage of its total subscriber base using i-Mode also rose from 78.8 percent to 82.7 percent. Ringtones and entertainment services continued to be the most popular data services among DoCoMo’s customers, accounting for 37 percent and 22 percent respectively. DoCoMo saw a rise in the percentage of data traffic attributed to information access (85 percent) and a slight decline in the amount used for messaging (15 percent). (PMN)  
 
   
  DoCoMo revises FOMA subscriber numbers
Thursday, November 7, 2002
  Summary Nov. 07, 2002. NTT DoCoMo said it forecasts only 320,000 FOMA third-generation (3G) subscribers by the end of March 2003, a decrease from its early predictions of more than 1 million subscribers by end-March. NTT DoCoMo launched FOMA service in October 2001, and uptake has been much less than expected. The company is planning to increase its FOMA coverage area and enhance its content to reverse the slow demand for its W-CDMA services. The company’s average revenue per user (ARPU) for FOMA was about US$60. ARPU generated purely from i-mode services was US$17.30 for the second fiscal quarter ending 30 September. (Global Wireless News)  
 
   
  NTT DoCoMo to cut executive pay by 10-20%
Thursday, November 7, 2002
  Summary Nov 8, 2002. NTT DoCoMo Inc confirmed that it will cut compensation for its executives, including company President Keiji Tachikawa, by 10-20 percent. The executives are shouldering the responsibility for the massive losses booked by the company during the first half that ended September 30 on its investments in overseas wireless phone service providers. NTT DoCoMo is expected to report that first-half net profit fell 96 percent from a year earlier to 4 billion yen (US$32.84 million). Until next March, monthly pay will be reduced by 20 percent for the president, 15 percent for the vice president, and 10 percent for other executives. This is the second time that their pay has been reduced due to overseas losses. Bonuses will also be suspended for a second time. (Asia Pulse/Nikkei)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/6/2002
  DoCoMo said to slash profit forecast by 60 percent
Wednesday, November 6, 2002
  Summary Nov. 7, 2002. Japan’s top wireless operator, NTT DoCoMo Inc., is set to cut its net profit estimate for the business year ending next March by 60 percent due to hefty appraisal losses on overseas investments, the business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported. (Reuters)  
 
   
  DoCoMo CEO Finds Investors Wary About Global Strategy
Wednesday, November 6, 2002
  Summary Nov. 7, 2002. To take the blame for DoCoMo's overseas losses, NTT DoCoMo Inc. Chief Executive Keiji Tachikawa cut his monthly salary by 20 percent beginning in April for three months. DoCoMo expects its older wireless Internet service, known as i-mode, to operate outside Japan through KPN Mobile in the Netherlands, its units E-Plus Mobilefunk GMBH in Germany, BASE in Belgium and KG Telecom in Taiwan. Users of the service totaled about 100,000, a fraction of the 35 million i-mode subscribers in Japan. ``I want DoCoMo to raise dividends instead of spending cash on overseas assets,'' Japan Investment Trust's Michitaka Kato said. DoCoMo pays an annual dividend of 500 yen a share. Its yield -- the dividend divided by its stock price -- is 0.2 percent, compared with 1.8 percent for Vodafone Group Plc, Europe's largest cellular-phone operator. (Bloomberg)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/5/2002
  Bouygues Telecom to Launch i-mode Service in France
Tuesday, November 5, 2002
  Summary Nov. 05, 2002. NTT DoCoMo, Inc. said that Bouygues Telecom S.A. has announced it will introduce , the service developed by DoCoMo, to the French market beginning November 15, 2002. France marks the sixth market for i-mode service, which is already available in Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Taiwan and Belgium. (NTT DoCoMo)  
 
   
  Japan govt body urges DoCoMo transfer rate-setting rights
Tuesday, November 5, 2002
  Summary Nov. 5, 2002. The arbitration unit of Japan’s Telecoms Ministry said fixed-line carrier Heisei Denden should be allowed to set its own rates for calls made from its fixed lines to mobile phones operated by NTT DoCoMo Inc. Heisei Denden, an unlisted start-up carrier, earlier this year filed a petition to the ministry to gain rate-setting rights for calls that go from fixed-lines to mobile phones, saying DoCoMo’s charge of 80 yen ($0.66) per three minutes was too high. DoCoMo’s charge compared to the prevailing rate of 60 yen for calls from mobile phones to fixed lines. Although no law gives mobile phone operators exclusive rights to set rates on calls from fixed-line networks, all mobile phone operators in Japan currently set phone rates on such calls. (Reuters)  
 
   
  DoCoMo growth strategy eyed as H1 results near
Tuesday, November 5, 2002
  Summary Nov. 5, 2002. Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc is expected to post a bearish half-year net profit this week, but with losses on overseas investments now factored into the share price, investors will focus on clues to future growth potential. Also providing some insight into DoCoMo’s growth potential is its per-user revenue for July-September. For the April-June quarter, DoCoMo’s average revenue per user, totalled 8,150 yen a month, down from an average 8,480 yen during the year ended last March. DoCoMo’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), which shows a company’s raw earnings power, is estimated at $15.9 billion for the current year, Merrill Lynch said in a recent research note. That figure compares with $15.2 billion at major carrier Vodafone Group and $4.6 billion at French-owned Orange SA. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 11/1/2002
  DoCoMo to introduce wireless card services
Friday, November 1, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo, Inc. will introduce wireless card data communications services in the spring that use the personal handyphone (PHS) network, allowing users to transfer data using personal computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) while away from their homes or offices. The nation’s top mobile-phone operator said it would set the monthly rates for the service, which will provide unlimited access to the Internet, at between 4,000 yen and 5,000 yen, lower than the fixed rates offered by competitor KDDI Corp.’s DDI Pocket. Analysts predict DoCoMo’s entry into the market for wireless card data communications services likely will cause a rapid increase in the number of PHS card users. (Yomiuri Shimbun)  
 
   
  DoCoMos downturn
Friday, November 1, 2002
  Summary In the Headquarters of NTTDoCoMo, every element -- colour, furniture, decor -- has been minutely planned so that it fits with, and reinforces, the next. The effect is of a hermetically sealed whole, designed to convey certain themes. Power. Masculinity. Technological superiority. Wealth. "Only God could have predicted two years ago what has happened to the current telecommunication market," president Keiji Tachikawa pronounced at a solemn Tokyo news conference in April. (Canada.com)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/31/2002
  NTT DoCoMo Mulls Halt On Overseas Invest; Poor 3G Outlook
Thursday, October 31, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo is considering a moratorium on further overseas investment as many overseas telecom operators delay implementation of third generation mobile phone services. DoCoMo is already facing around 80% in valuation losses on the Y1.8 trillion it has spent to promote its 3G moving-image technology overseas mainly due to the bursting of the global information technology bubble. Instead, it will focus on promoting tie-ups to offer its leading "i-mode" technology for Internet-capable mobile phones overseas, the report said. (Dow Jones)  
 
   
  NTT says DoCoMos overseas strategy intact
Thursday, October 31, 2002
  Summary Japans Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT) said on Wednesday the overseas investment strategy of NTT DoCoMo Inc remained unchanged despite huge appraisal losses on the wireless units assets abroad. DoCoMo, Japans dominant wireless carrier, said early in October it would post a 573 billion yen ($4.66 billion) appraisal loss on its stakes in foreign carriers, including AT&T Wireless Services Inc, amid a prolonged global telecoms slump. "DoCoMo invested in overseas carriers to form alliances and to create a global standard by themselves. By doing so, DoCoMo aimed to boost the corporate value of partner firms and itself," NTT President Norio Wada told a regular news conference. "We havent abandoned this strategy. Rather, we plan to press ahead with it." (Reuters)  
 
   
  DoCoMo reconsiders overseas drive
Thursday, October 31, 2002
  Summary The Japanese mobile phone giant NTT DoCoMo has warned that it may freeze all its overseas investments. The company dominates Japan’s mobile phone market, and is a world leader in the roll-out of third-generation mobile phones. But in recent weeks DoCoMo had to write off $4.7bn of its investments in the United States, Britain, the Netherlands and other foreign markets hurt by the global economic slump. And at home DoCoMo has already spent some two trillion yen ($16.25bn) on third-generation (3G) mobile phones, which allow users high-speed internet access and video-conferencing. But the new service has yet to make a profit and the company is pondering the cost of allowing its users global roaming. (BBC)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/30/2002
  DoCoMo to halt new foreign investment-Asahi
Wednesday, October 30, 2002
  Summary Japan’s largest mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo Inc, plans to halt new investments abroad for the time being after suffering huge losses on its stakes in foreign carriers, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said on Wednesday. DoCoMo spent nearly two trillion yen ($16.25 billion) to promote its high-speed third-generation wireless technology as the next global standard and ensure it could provide a global roaming network under the W-CDMA (wideband code division multiple access) standard. The Asahi report said DoCoMo planned to forgo new capital tie-ups with overseas firms for the time being and concentrate instead on tie-ups focused on providing technology instead. (Reuters)  
 
   
  NTT says no decision on DoCoMo stake
Wednesday, October 30, 2002
  Summary Japan’s largest telecoms company, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT), said on Tuesday it had not come to any decision regarding a possible reduction in its 63 percent stake in top wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. NTT has been under pressure from the government to lower its stake to promote competition among NTT group firms and invigorate Japan’s telecoms sector. The possible cutback would be expected to give DoCoMo an increased freedom in mapping out its business strategy. (Reuters)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/29/2002
  NTT DoCoMo to halt optional services
Tuesday, October 29, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has announced changes to its mobile phone, pager, satellite and PHS services in an attempt to improve efficiency and profitability. Customers affected by the changes will be notified when they receive their monthly invoices. The rationalisation reflects the changing nature of NTT DoCoMos customer base, which is dominated by advanced i-Mode voice and data terminals operating over PDC packet data networks. (PMN)  
 
   
  DoCoMo to launch FOMA payment system in April
Tuesday, October 29, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo Inc. will launch a service in April that to allow customers to use integrated circuit-equipped phones to pay for fares at automated ticket gates at East Japan Railway Co. stations and shop at am/pm chain convenience stores by simply holding their phones over the cash register. The system will be introduced for models using NTT DoCoMos FOMA. The system is similar to JR Easts Suica ticketing system, which allows passengers to pass through ticket gates by simply holding an IC-equipped pass over automated machines, and am/pms Edy electronic payment system. Five million prepaid passes have been issued for the Suica system, which has gone into effect at 470 stations in Tokyo and neighboring prefectures. Dedicated machines at the stations, however, have to be used to add money to the passes. Under the NTT DoCoMo system, which will be effective at the stations and about 1,300 shops, including convenience stores, users can charge their phones wherever they are. (The Yomiuri Shimbun)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/28/2002
  NTT DoCoMo holds first 4G tech summit
Monday, October 28, 2002
  Summary NTT DoCoMo has held a summit addressing fourth-generation mobile technology, gathering together representatives of major telecommunication and electronics companies, with the intention of generating interest for 4G services and sparking initial discussions between NTT DoCoMo and industry participants. "I think it is the first time that all of the members of the ecosystem were pulled together at one site hosted by NTT DoCoMo and to understand their shared vision," said Tony Sica, vice-president and director of marketing at Intel’s Wireless Communications and Computing Group, who attended the meeting. DoCoMo aims to launch a commercial service by 2010, which offers data transmission speeds that are around 275 times faster than the 364kbps top speed of the carrier’s 3G network. (CW360)  
 
   
  DoCoMo soars by tapping power of emotions
Monday, October 28, 2002
  Summary ’’In Japan, nearly one-third of the population already works, plays, and shops with wireless, continuously connected to a universe of data, services and other people. The force responsible is a young, visionary company, with a name that means `anywhere’ in Japanese: DoCoMo.’’ This quote shows just how pervasive DoCoMo is in Japan. In spite of its short life of a mere three years, it’s already a major force in the country, with 30 million users. What is DoCoMo and why is this company so notable that a book should be devoted to it? The subtitle of John C. Beck and Mitchell E. Wade’s book dubs DoCoMo a ’’wireless tsunami,’’ a moniker that is indicative of the influence of the company in Japan’s moribund marketplace. (Boston Globe)  
 
   
DOCOMO News of 10/24/2002
  Hacker Tampers With NTT DoCoMo Web Site
Thursday, October 24, 2002
  Summary An unidentified hacker broke into the Web site of NTT DoCoMo Inc., the top provider of Internet-capable mobile phone services, and tampered with part of its contents, the company said Wednesday, Kyodo reported. The tampered page, which is for corporate customers, has been rendered inaccessible, making it impossible for users to take advantage of services that had been offered via the page. It is rare for a hacker to succeed in tampering with the contents of the Web site of a telecom carrier with expertise in Web technology. According to Kyodo, an NTT DoCoMo official said, "This is the first such case for our company." NTT DoCoMo said the hacker intruded into the Web page offering services to allow corporate customers to modify contract