FeliCa Networks Sets Up Shop
As mentioned in previous stories and our recent video report, Sony and DoCoMo have been busy setting up FeliCa Networks Inc. to develop the companies’ mobile FeliCa IC that will, we think, lead to the massive expansion of the mobile phone as a do-all contactless payment device. Sony announced today that it has firmed up the FeliCa Networks company organization with Takeshi Natsuno (“Mr. i-mode”) as one of the directors.
Sony said today that as previously announced, it has hived off a bunch of staff into creating FeliCa Networks on Jan. 7 and Sony and DoCoMo issued new shares to create FeliCa Networks as a JV company, effective Jan. 21 with a mandate to develop the device and OS technologies and drive the business platform. Please note that we have an upcoming exclusive program with Shusaku Maruko, Senior Manager of Sony’s FeliCa Business Center, currently scheduled for the end of Feb.
— WWJ Editors