Europe Is Going Mad for i-mode
Content providers like i-mode because it’s easy to program for — the format is nearly identical to regular Web pages — and they get 86% of the carrier’s take from content sales. Also important, i-mode runs on upgraded wireless networks, known as 2.5G or GPRS, that offer faster, always-on connections. What’s the attraction? Unlike the often-shoddy WAP offerings of a few years back, i-mode is a tightly woven, easily navigable package of preselected services.
DoCoMo provides the software and branding, while carriers cut deals with local content providers: Bouygues features Michelin guides, Agence France Press headlines, and online banking. Continue >>