More than one million users signed up for 3G mobile phone services in March in Japan, helped largely by surging 3G subscribers from KDDI, according to Japanﾕs Telecommunications Carriers Association (TCA). KDDI, Japanﾕs second-largest mobile phone service provider, added about 914,100 3G subscribers.
We’ve told you before that the celly is morphing into an e-wallet, and it looks as though it’s going to happen in 2003. bitWallet is a joint venture between Sony, NTT DoCoMo, and a bevy of banks and other interested players all salivating over potential profits. Although there are no details yet on what an e-wallet-enabled keitai will ultimately look like, today’s program shows how contactless smart cards are being used in Japan. Features an in-depth interview with sr. bitWallet staff; if you want a glimpse of the future – don’t miss this one.
NTT DoCoMo said on Friday it plans to launch a flat-rate wireless Web access service using its personal handyphone system (PHS) network, in a bid to shore up its flagging PHS operation. NTT DoCoMo said on Friday it plans to launch a flat-rate wireless Web access service using its personal handyphone system (PHS) network, in a bid to shore up its flagging PHS operation.
An Internet service firm has been ordered to fork out over 6.5 million yen to cell phone operator NTT DoCoMo after it sent millions of e-mails to nonexistent addresses, inflicting expenses on the operator. Ruling that NTT DoCoMo had suffered losses because of the mass e-mailing, the Tokyo District Court on Tuesday ordered the unidentified Internet service firm to pay 6.56 million yen in compensation.
Look how traditional chemical photo service providers have realigned themselves to handle digi prints; this is a new and growing line of business. With DoCoMo’s 505-series i-modes phones (due to hit the market early summer), handsets will have very high-quality, mega-pixel-class cameras, so cam-phone users will want to buy more of the services that digi-cam users have already been buying – like kiosk printing. And to those who would cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war I reply: cry freedom – and put a keitai in every back pocket.
Travelers on some long distant bus routes will be able to pay fares using cellular phones from the end of this month, thanks to a tie-up between Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and bus firms. The electronics giant aims to introduce the ticketless service on about 80 routes operated by 40 firms during fiscal 2003 and hopes to extend it to theater and other ticketing in the future.
