Vodafone
Vodafone

Vodafone

Prepaid Phones Going, Going, Gone?

Will prepaid phones pay the price for allegedly rising crime rates in Japan? NTT DoCoMo president Masao Nakamura spoke of discontinuing prepaid phone services at a recent press conference and others are calling for an outright ban. Japan’s close (some would say too close) private/public-sector interaction seemed to shadow his statement that the company needed to act considering the growing number of fraud cases using prepaid handsets. It’s only coincidence, we’re sure, that one of DoCoMo’s foreign competitors stands to lose big from shutting down prepaid. And last week, a European business organization pointed out just how wacky a ban would be.

Dilithium Networks Reaches 80% Market Share in 3G Video Telephony Test Market

Dilithium Networks, a leading provider of wireless multimedia solutions, announced today that NEC, one of the largest 3G handset vendors has purchased Dilithium Network Analyzer, further confirming our leading position in the 3G video telephony test market. Dilithium Networks estimates that 80% of 3G Mobile operators, network equipment vendors, and handset manufacturers use Dilithium Networks Analyzer (DNA) to perform 3G-324M protocol compliance, interoperability testing and QoS measurements of mobile networks.

Survey: GPS Usage on Mobile

NEPRO Japan published a report [in Japanese] giving results of a study into mobile phone GPS usage. At the moment, KDDI/au has more than 15 GPS-enabled models (DoCoMo has 2; Vodafone has none). In December 2003, au introduced their NAVI-Walk personal navigation service with an aggressive TV campaign presenting the advantages of mobile-phone GPS.

DoCoMo 901i – Next Generation FOMA Handsets Debut

DoCoMo have just launched their next generation FOMA handsets at a splashy event at Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel — complete with bikini-clad beauties, big-name stars, and a sound and light show that blasted their five new 901i handsets into the spotlight. The D901i, F901iC, N901iC, P901i, and SH901iC models all come equipped with a 2-megapixel camera, stereo speakers, and enhanced audio and video for even more multi-slacking fun. In a ‘Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!’ press event move, DoCoMo announced that only the SH901iC will be ready for nationwide release on 26 November. Other handsets will ‘follow’ with no specific release dates given. DoCoMo says sales of FOMA cellys stand at 7.3 million. Sales of i-mode-compatible FeliCa e-wallet handsets stand at 600,000 units; infrared signal-compatible handsets, 27.2 million, and bar-code reader terminals, 14 million. Watch our video report here.

Vodafone Japan Goes Flat-Rate

Vodafone Japan has finally announced the launch of a flat-rate price plan. Vodafone’s new “Packet Free” tariff will allow unlimited use for 3,900 yen; there is also a “Packet Economy” level for 2,000 yen. Both plans allow free messaging (including attachments) between other subscribers and offer global roaming video calling from selected European regions (works on six of the seven new 3G handsets). Top that off with Macromedia Flash, some compelling pre-installed game content, and a new “Vodafone BB” data download service and it would seem Vodafone are finally getting their 3G underway.

Mobile Phone Makers Rush To 3G

Foreseeing global demand for new WCDMA phones will be worth more than 30 million units next year, world leading mobile phone makers, including Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, and Siemens as well as domestic manufacturers began making a big push into the 3G handset market to take lion?s share. Mindbranch Asia Pacific, a market research firm, forecasts that the number of new subscribers to 3G wireless communication service will reach 38 million worldwide next year generating a new demand for more than 30 million units of handsets.