DoCoMo DCMX Subs Top 10M

DoCoMo just announced total subs to their DCMX credit payment service, topped 10M in Japan on August 24, details in Eng: http://bit.ly/PCYCv

Launched in April 2006, see WWJ Video from the launch event, DCMX reached 1 million subscribers in November 2006, 5 million in February 2008 and 10 million, just three years and four months since the service debut.

DCMX is a service brand for DOCOMO-issued credit cards, which allows subscribers to make purchases using their mobile phones as credit cards via DOCOMO’s iD branded mobile payment platform for handsets equipped with contactless IC cards (Osaifu-Keitai). For security, DOCOMO’s Osaifu-Keitai phones can be locked remotely over the wireless network if misplaced or stolen.

The rapid penetration of DCMX was helped by the popularization of Osaifu-Keitai and iD reader/writer terminals as well as its customer loyalty program. Currently, over 30 million DOCOMO customers use Osaifu-Keitai-compatible handsets and about 60% of all DOCOMO customers are using Osaifu-Keitai services. As of July 31, 2009, there were approximately 420,000 iD readers/writers nationwide. iD is now used in various settings in daily life, such as shopping at convenience stores and electronics retailers, eating at fast food restaurants and taking taxis.

There are three plans offered under the DCMX brand: “DCMX mini” with which payments within a monthly credit line of 10,000 yen (approximately 104.7 U.S. dollars*) will be billed together with the user’s monthly DOCOMO phone charges, the standard “DCMX” plan and the premium “DCMX GOLD” plan.

Subscribers of the standard DCMX and DCMX GOLD plans can earn DOCOMO’s loyalty points (docomo points) each time they make a purchase transaction. They can use these points for DOCOMO product discounts and other customer rewards. In addition, there are bonus point programs at selected retailers or DOCOMO’s online shopping mall.