Wireless News
Wireless News

Wireless News

DoCoMo 3G Overtakes KDDI

As WWJ predicted last month, the latest Telecommunication Carriers Association numbers confirm that DoCoMo has indeed gone on to ‘Grab [the] 3G Lead from KDDI.’ OK — so the news isn’t startling given that the trend for the past several months has been growing in DoCoMo’s favor. The news that has been below almost everyone’s radar screens, however, is the exceptional performance of upstart PHS carrier Willcom and its success in attracting new customers compared to third-place 3G carrier Vodafone. The folks over at Willcom posted a net subscriber gain of 80,200 in January compared to Vodafone’s paltry 17,600 result.

NTT DoCoMo, Nippon TV Form Business Tie-Up

DoCoMo said today that it has agreed with Nippon Television Network Corp. (NTV) on a business tie-up to develop content and related services that combine mobile communications and conventional TV programs. Under the agreement, the companies will form a seven-year limited liability partnership, D.N. dream partners LLP, on April 3, 2006 (tentative), with DoCoMo investing five billion yen and NTV five billion yen. The partnership will invest in content and also develop content itself, including TV programs that can be viewed with mobile phones.

ACCESS NetFront Browser in 11 New Sanyo Handsets

ACCESS Co., Ltd., a global provider of mobile content delivery and Internet access technologies, today announced that its NetFront browser has been deployed in 11 SANYO handset models available in regions throughout the world including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. Powered by NetFront browser, SANYO handsets represent some of the best-selling devices available from SANYO’s mobile operator partners. NetFront has been selected as the browser technology for 11 SANYO handsets, which include the SCP-8300, SCP-9000, SCP-7500, SCP7400/QW, SCP-4920/QW, SCP-8200/QW, SCP-2300/NZ, SCP-9000/NZ, SCP-2300/CA, SCP-8300/CA, and SANYO MVP models.

Sony Ericsson Releases M600 Series

Sony Ericsson has just announced the M600 phone and messaging device [ .jpg image ]. This is a fully-specified email tool and mobile phone rolled into an extremely stylish, slim device featuring a touch screen and handwriting recognition. M600 is the second Symbian OS 9.1 and UIQ 3.0 enabled phone in the Sony Ericsson portfolio offering users great customisation opportunities and the ability to buy personal productivity and other applications from the Sony Ericsson Application Shop. New push email applications, remote synchronisation and expandable memory give owners a UMTS phone and email connectivity in a device that easily fits in their pocket – at just 15mm thick, it is one of the slimmest business UMTS devices of its kind available.

Kyocera Provides iBurst to Kenya

Kyocera Corporation announced the commercial introduction of iBurst wireless broadband services in the Republic of Kenya, starting February 2, 2006. iBurst base stations and terminals designed and produced by Kyocera will be provided to Africa Online, the Kenyan Internet service provider (ISP). Africa Online will commence iBurst wireless broadband services in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, with plans to expand service into Mombassa, Nakuru, Kisumu, and Nanyuki. The company is targeting 20,000 subscribers within one year.

Disaster Message Board Service

Vodafone K.K. announced today that, from 10:00 AM on 1 February 2006, Web communication fees will be toll-free when accessing the Disaster Message Board Service. First launched in April 2005, the Disaster Message Board Service lets customers confirm the safety of their family and friends via Vodafone live! in the event of a major disaster. To let customers get familiar with the details and methods of using the Disaster Message Board Service, Vodafone K.K. offers a trial service available on the first day of every month (excluding the month of January). Customers will also be able to use this trial service without paying Web communication charges.