At the end of last year, a group of procurement officials from NTT DoCoMo visited China to inspect Nokia’s mobile phone plant. The visit, ahead of the launch in February of the Finnish group’s handsets bearing the DoCoMo logo, was designed to reassure the Japanese carrier that Nokia’s facilities were up to its demanding standards. DoCoMo cancelled its initial contract and scaled back its procurement from Nokia when the launch was delayed due to the difficulty of installing i-mode, according to one official.  

The big challenge facing foreign handset makers is to keep producing handsets that are not only cost-competitive but also offer outstanding features that can differentiate them from the models of their domestic rivals. DoCoMo has so far managed to sell only about 20,000 out of 200,000 3G phones it procured from Motorola. The situation is frustrating for both the foreign makers and Japanese operators alike. Continue

Related posts:

1. Foreign Phones Don’t Sell in Japan
2. Natsuno and Ai Kato Launch 505i; and WWJ – Facing a Transition
3. Differentiating Crummy Handsets from Great Networks
4. Japan Handsets Technology Isn’t Everything
5. NTT Boosts Challenge to DoCoMo FeliCa

Some sage advise when entering new turf; Stop, Look and Listen.. it’s also good to secure a local guide. Japan is the cradle of mobile civilization – we have been dedicated to this space since 2001 – trust our archives here offer some useful material.

Domestic activities continue to set the pace, and sharp players are looking at global markets. We have hard-earned industry expertise and trusted network of contacts with access to advanced intell. and potential deal flow. Need a lift.. Ok, buckle-up!