According to this press prelease, NTT DOCOMO has established DOCOMO China Co., Ltd. as a wholly owned subsidiary in Shanghai, China. DOCOMO China will focus mainly on providing mobile solutions for corporate customers, especially locally based Japanese companies. The office is expected to begin operating from the end of July, once the necessary governmental and commercial approvals have been obtained.
Tokyo-based Mobile Content Networks announced that Thailand’s leading mobile operators (AIS, DTAC, and TrueMove) have selected MCN to launch SMS triggered search using a common shortcode. The new MCN-powered SMS Triggered Search services build on the WAP-based search applications that MCN has powered for all three operators since early 2007.
Taiwan-based Shin Kong Financial Group plans to cooperate with KDDI for joint investment in Asia Pacific Broadband Telecom, a fixed-line/3G mobile telecommunication operator in Taiwan, to become the largest shareholder, according to this post on DigiTimes. Both KDDI and APBT adopt CDMA2000 for their 3G operation, a reason for Shin Kong to invite KDDI to jointly invest, the sources noted.
Singaporean telecommunications service provider StarHub plans to release a mobile wallet based on NTT DoCoMo’s Osaifu-Keitai (mobile wallet) system. Accoring to this announcement StarHub has signed a memorandum of understanding with NTT DoCoMo to explore a mobile wallet concept similar to the Osaifu-Keitai system for a near future implementation in Singapore. Singapore will be the first market outside of Japan to launch an official study and eventual pilot of this service.
According to The Daily Star in Bangladesh, DoCoMo has submitted a bid to buy the 30% of AKTEL, a stake previously valued at over $300million. Telecom Malaysia currently controls 70% of AKTEL which recently slipped to third position in the six-operator market with approx. 7.5 million customers as of March 31st. Grameenphone is the leader with about 18 million subscribers, while Orascom Telecom Bangladesh, which operates Banglalink, is second with 8 million out of a total market estimated at 39 million.
KTF and DoCoMo announced that they have agreed to jointly invest in U Mobile Sdn Bhd, a new Malaysian 3G mobile operator that is scheduled to launch commercial service in 2008. The two companies will collectively acquire 33 percent control of the new market entrant.
NTT DoCoMo and UFIDA Software Co., Ltd., a leading provider of management software solutions and services in Asia, are waiting for the final approval from Chinese authorities to establish a mobile ecommerce joint venture between the companies. UFIDA Mobile has announced its development strategy for m-commerce in China and plans to deploy their first full-scale mobile commerce platform in the eastern region.
Advanced M-Pay, the mobile payment arm of AIS, is penetrating the online community and making inroads into the high-margin international direct dialing services in an effort to turn a profit in 2008 for the first time ever. The 70:30 joint venture firm between the Thai cellular market leader Advanced Info Service and Japan’s NTT DoCoMo (as noted Here) expects the strategic shift to improve its performance by 30% next year in terms of transaction volume and value, revenue and profit.
NTT DoCoMo and KT Freetel just announced that in November they will set up a venture fund in Korea to invest in promising mobile and IT firms. Through the fund, DoCoMo and KTF expect to identify promising companies for tie-ups in technology and other opportunities in the mobile and IT sectors. The fund will will operate for six years, with an option for a two-year extension, and will be managed by KTBnetwork Co., Ltd.
DoCoMo just announced that it has established an office in Hanoi, Vietnam in September 2007. DoCoMo will use the Hanoi office to enhance its information-gathering capabilities, explore potential business opportunities, and raise its profile among and strengthen relationships with government officials and corporate executives in the burgeoning Vietnamese market. This is the company’s fourth overseas office, joining existing facilities in Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore. The office, operated by a staff of four, will also have oversight for Laos and Cambodia.
