Editor’s Note
Editor’s Note

Editor’s Note

Mobile Phones Shake up Shareholder Meetings

Mobile Phones Shake up Shareholder Meetings

What is the sound of one hand tapping? If you are a shareholder in NTT DoCoMo it could be a pretty loud sound indeed reverberating right into the executive boardroom. Shareholders at NTT DoCoMo’s Tuesday, 21 June, shareholders meeting will be able to vote by cell phone through a secure site tapping in ‘yea’ and ‘nay’ at their convenience without trudging all the way down to the New Otani Hotel in Akasaka.

NTT is one of a growing number of Japanese corporations mainstreaming cell phones into shareholder operations. Panasonic, video game maker Taito Corp., [.pdf] and Sony [.pdf] are each allowing M-votes at shareholder meetings this year. Voters receive an access code and password in their voter’s invitation/agenda (generally sent out a couple of weeks in advance). For the Panasonic meeting on 29 June, m-voters connect quickly to the secure site by scanning a QR code (scroll down) which kick starts the password process. DoCoMo shareholders also streamline through with a QR code. Both secure mobile and Internet voting sites may be handled by banks such as UFJ for Sony’s meeting or Chuo Mitsui Trust and Banking at Panasonic’s.

1.8 bn Mobilers Can't All Be Wrong

According to new findings from Informa, the global wireless market now claims 1.8 billion subscribers, representing worldwide market penetration of 28 percent. That means there are still approximately 4 billion potential wireless users in the world, ignoring for a moment issues of economic ability to own one and war or famine.

MWI Mailing Lists Now Open

The Mobile Web Initiative, part of the W3C and described in this week’s WWJ Newsletter, has set up two public mailing lists: public-bpwg@w3.org (dedicated to discussion associated with the Best Practice Working Group), and public-ddwg@w3.org (dedicated to discussion associated with the Device Description Working Group). If you’re interested in participating in public discussions or if you have something to contribute, the folks running the Initiative would love to have you sign up.

MIT Tokyo Tour: 17-22 April 2005

MIjThe Mobile Intelligence Japan mission PR release hit the Web yesterday, and the April 2005 trip promises to provide in-depth know-how and actionable intelligence direct from the heart of mobile Japan. MIJ will comprise six days of intensive company visits, executive presentations, application demonstrations, user sessions, and networking events, guided and analysed by WWJ Chief Editor Daniel Scuka. The agenda (contact us for a full copy) is complete and includes visits to and sessions with some of Tokyo’s hottest mobile players, including carriers, content providers, application developers and technology vendors. Access the full release here. For additional information, fees and registration, access the MIJ site here.

Insider Visit to Tokyo's Hottest Mobile Players

Wireless Watch Japan will produce the third Mobile Intelligence mission to Tokyo, 17-22 April 2005, providing an in-depth study of the success factors, companies and technologies that have boosted Japan’s mobile Internet into the world’s No. 1 position. Full Press Release Here

In the past year, new third-generation (3G) wireless Internet services have won millions of mobile consumer customers with QR bar-code readers, e-wallet-based m-commerce, mobile TV, and CD-quality music downloading all enjoying fast consumer uptake. Furthermore, flat-rate data pricing, convergence between cellular, VoIP and fixed wireless services, and per-event billing are all fundamentally reshaping mobile business models. Nonetheless, as Japan’s carriers perfect their 3G survival strategies, they find that 3G ARPUs are actually higher than on older 2G systems.