Hutchison Telecommunications said it has formed a strategic partnership with NTT DoCoMo of Japan. An industry source familiar with the matter said the two companies are likely to launch mobile applications related to Hutchison Telecom’s 3G mobile platform in Hong Kong. A spokeswoman of Hutchison declined to give further details, but said the two companies will hold a press briefing on the partnership Thursday.
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DoCoMo has just announced that it will join the, tentatively called, “Asia-Pacific Mobile Alliance,” with six other Asian mobile carriers. The group also includes; Far EasTone – Taiwan, Hutchison Essar – India, Hutchison Telecoms – Hong Kong, KT Freetel – Korea, PT Indosat – Indonesia and StarHub Ltd. from Singapore. The alliance boasts a combined customer base of about 100 million mobile subscribers over eight countries and regions.
NEC Telecom, one of the only really active Japanese handset makers in China, regards China as its most important overseas market amid personnel changes and the retreat of other Japanese firms. So says Ken Lu, the new president of NEC Telecom China. “Global expansion is a focus for NEC Telecom in the world and China is a priority in that expansion,” said Lu yesterday.
NEC Corporation today announced that its High Speed Down link Packet Access (HSDPA) is to be deployed in the 3G network of 3 Hong Kong, a subsidiary of Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) Limited. This contract has been awarded to NEC and its 3G partner Siemens following a successful field trial on 3 Hong Kong’s UMTS network. During the field trial, NEC’s HSDPA-based UTRAN achieved a high level of performance and functionality, including high-speed internet access, consecutive data transmission and handover in a HSDPA service environment, while allowing flexible and variable changes in transmission speed.
NTT DoCoMo, Inc. has just announced that the company will wholly acquire Guam Cellular & Paging, Inc. (Guam Cellular) and Guam Wireless Telephone Company, LLC (Guam Wireless) for the total amount of US$71,800,000. Both companies provide mobile services in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. DoCoMo intends to establish a holding company to acquire 100% of the shares of Guam Cellular. It will then acquire the business of Guam Wireless through Guam Cellular and merge the two companies. DoCoMo will also provide additional funds up to approximately US$6,500,000 to strengthen the newly merged company’s facilities and infrastructure according to their press release.
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Tuesday that Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc. plans to invest around $300 million in Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., or PLDT.
