KDDI Corporation and Okinawa Cellular Telephone announced that the total cumulative number of users for the 3G mobile phones (CDMA2000 1x) being offered by the two companies has surpassed ten million on September 16. Sales of CDMA2000 1x au mobile phones began on April 1, 2002. The ten million mark was surpassed less than eighteen months after the original release.
NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today the development of micro base stations for the 3G network that are up to 1/30th the size of conventional base stations. The service area of the FOMA service has expanded steadily, which will reach 96% of the population nationwide by the end of September. The micro base stations will allow DoCoMo to expand FOMA service more economically and with greater flexibility for adaptation to operational environments.
NEC Corporation announced that it has realized an advanced new telecom platform. The first product based on the new platform for mobile operators are new SGSN and GGSN, a packet core node which can handle large-volume IP packet transmission applications such as video streaming and GPS for 3G services. The new platform is the world’s first working model of an Advanced-TCA(TM) (ATCA) based commercial product.
NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that on September 13, 2003 the company will begin marketing the F2402, the first data-card type terminal capable of high-speed packet transmission in both the uplink and downlink at a maximum rate of 384 kbps.
On Sept. 4th WWJ attended the Otemachi Corporate News Room for a press conference hosted by DoCoMo President and CEO Dr. Keiji Tachikawa. He covered a wide range of topics including; a new carry-over billing plan and upgraded service offerings for FOMA, brisk sales – 2.7 million units – of the recently launched 505 series handsets and the new ‘Hearty Style’ campaign package for handicapped users. He also took questions regarding their current and upcoming 3G activities in China and Taiwan, and offered his personal thoughts on the differing strategies between DoCoMo and Vodafone. If you need the full-skinny, in English, we’re the only game in town! Full Program Run-time 21:19
In an effective snub to top handset maker Nokia, the Financial Times reported that Vodafone was negotiating exclusive deals with Japan’s Sanyo and Samsung of South Korea for its new range of upgraded Vodafone Live! multimedia phones. ‘Vodafone is trialling a number of handsets to support its 3G service, which will be available before March 2004,’ the group stated. ‘Vodafone cannot confirm at this stage which manufacturers will be exclusive providers for Vodafone’s 3G services.’
