eAccess to Borrow DoCoMo Network

Japan’s eAccess Ltd. said on Monday its wireless unit will borrow its bigger rival NTT DoCoMo Inc.’s network to offer a nationwide cellphone service. eAccess’ mobile unit will roam on DoCoMo’s network in areas outside the major cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. The agreement will helps eAccess launch a nationwide voice service in March 2008 before completing its own network. Prior to the nationwide mobile phone service, eAccess aims to offer wireless data service in March 2007.

With suppliers Ericsson and Huawei Technologies Co., eAccess is building third-generation (3G) wireless infrastructure across Japan. eAcccess said it aims to have deployed its own network by the end of its roaming contract with DoCoMo in Oct 2010. [Source]

Also noted:

DoCoMo said it aimed to cut tariffs for international roaming to undercut rivals and encourage more Japanese to use their phones abroad.

The seven operators of the Asia-Pacific Mobile Alliance (APMA), including DoCoMo, were seeking to cut the fees they charge each other when serving each other’s customers, Toshinari Kunieda, director of DoCoMo’s global business unit, said in an interview.

“Such arrangements give the alliance members an advantage over competitors and eventually help bring down fees for travellers,” Kunieda said.

[Both KDDI and Vodafone have also made recent roaming upgrade announcements — Eds]