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3GPP Sets Standard for Mobile Video

Digital Fountains DF Raptor technology has been standardized by 3GPP, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, as a mandatory component of the Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) for 3G cellular networks. Commented Frederic Gabin, 3G Standards Project Leader at NEC, “Digital Fountain’s FEC provides the best of all worlds: low bandwidth overhead, low processing requirements for client devices, and effective protection of MBMS file transfer and streaming services from packet loss over 3G wireless channels.”

Willcom to Bid for 2GHz Spectrum

Willcom Inc. has decided to bid for use of the 2GHz band that the Communications Ministry plans to offer to one 3G cellular phone service company this year, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun learned Monday. If approval is granted, Willcom plans to launch next-generation PHS service that will realize a data speed of 20-30 megabits per second — about 100 times as fast as current PHS services and equal to that of ASDL.

Cybird Expands Overseas

Cybird Co., a Japanese provider of games, ring tones and other content for mobile phones, agreed to pay $60 million for a majority stake in closely held Airborne Entertainment Inc. to expand in North America. Cybird announced the acquisition in a release to the Tokyo Stock Exchange after the close of regular trading on Japanese markets. It plans to sign a contract on June 23, and receive the shares on June 30.

DoCoMo: No Decision on Network Share

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.

Cellphone Firms Offer New Repeater

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.

DoCoMo Shareholders: Higher Dividend?

NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan’s largest mobile operator, faced tough questions at its annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday as unhappy investors complained about the company’s dividend level and stock performance. Some shareholders demanded the company apply more of its profits in the last business year ended March to double its dividend for the 2004/2005 year.

Motorola Launches M1000 3G SmartPhone Developed Jointly with NTT DoCoMo

Motorola, Inc. a global leader in wireless communications and a mobile phone market leader in North Asia today announced the launch of the FOMA M1000, the world’s first-ever WLAN-integrated W-CDMA and GSM/GPRS dual-mode smartphone. Developed jointly by Motorola and NTT DoCoMo, the new handset is modeled on Motorola’s 3G A1000, which won high acclaim from consumers in Europe and Asia. The M1000 will be available in Japan from July 1, 2005 through NTT DoCoMo channels. (See Wireless Watch Japan’s Video Report from the press launch)

Manga Doctor for 3G Phones

Manga Doctor for 3G PhonesAn unlicensed but brilliant surgeon — himself terribly scarred — prepares to take on another apparently hopeless case, this time right on the cell-phone screen. Black Jack, a series of immensely popular comics from Tetsuwan Atom’s (Astro Boy) creator Osamu Tezuka has decided to make the jump to wireless and is coming to KDDI 3G mobile phones. For 315 yen a month, readers can download Black Jack’s medical adventures twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. Stories of this anti-hero have been serialized for 30 years in Japan, continuing long after the death of Tezuka. Black Jack has had his own live TV drama, video animation and animated TV series, and now he’s going mobile.

Chaku-Uta Breaks 10 Mn Downloads

KDDI has announced passing the 10 million full-song download point as of 15 June. They attributed the success to their CDMA 1X high-speed EV-DO network and fixed-rate packet plans; this popular service duo has doubled the download numbers on a monthly basis since the launch in late November 2004. Link for details, with a breakdown of the top tunes downloaded to date, after the jump.

Vodafone Rolls out Sharp Ferrari-Branded Handsets

Vodafone Rolls out Two Sharp Ferrari Branded HandsetsAll doubts are now removed about who is making “Ferrari Class” handsets and the gloves are off for a bare-knuckles contest in the UK mobile data market. With O2 getting ready to roll out their i-mode portal in the next few months, Vodafone is clearly taking advantage of its relationship with Japanese OEMs and the London young turks need for speed. The GX25 (photo right) has Bluetooth and a QVGA TFT LCD bundled into its tri-band body, and the 3G-enabled 902sh touts a 2-megapixel camera with Video Out function.

Their ad copy says it all: “Jump into the seat with the Sharp 902 official Ferrari merchandise. You too can be part of the team through games, ring tones and customised menu which are all included in this unique package. Enjoy the benefits of this high-quality phone and share the excitement of the Ferrari footage with your friends. This striking Vodafone live! with 3G phone also features a 2 megapixel camera with autofocus and 2x optical zoom. After you have amazed others with your photography skills, why not explore the world of Vodafone live! with 3G to catch the latest music videos, Barclays Premiership goals, film trailers and breaking video news bulletins? All this before you have made your first face-to-face video call!“