BT AND PARTNERS PREPARE FOR JAPANESE 3G SERVICES
WITH AWARD OF J-PHONE LICENCES
BT today announced that Japan's regional J-Phone mobile
phone companies, in which it has equity stakes along with
partners Japan Telecom and Vodafone AirTouch, have been
granted licences for third generation (3G) multimedia mobile
phone services.
The award of the licences by Japan's Ministry of Posts
and Telecommunications (MPT) means the nine J-Phone
companies can prepare for launch of 3G services in key
regional Japanese markets in December 2001. With the
licences, J-Phone companies will offer 3G services initially
to part of the central, western and eastern Japanese
regions. The DDI group and NTT DoCoMo have also been awarded
licences.
BT and its partners are investing up to £4.2 billion
(700 billion yen) in future J-Phone operations following a
share issue in the J-Phone companies earlier this year.
The issue means J-Phone Communications Company Ltd.,
the partners' vehicle for pursuing 3G opportunities in
Japan, holds more than 50 per cent of the equity in the
regional J-Phone operating companies. Future investment is
earmarked for new networks and supporting infrastructure for
3G communications services.
J-Phone Communications will help steer the strategic
direction of the J-Phone group of companies and take on
responsibility for the design of new networks, as well as
branding and marketing of future services.
The J-Phone companies' current network makes them
Japan's third largest mobile service provider, with eight
million customers - 16 per cent of Japan's more than 50
million total mobile subscribers.
Sir Peter Bonfield, chief executive of BT, said: " This
is a very exciting time in the development of the next
generation of mobile Internet communications in the vital,
leading world market of Japan.
" BT is delighted to be alongside its partners Japan
Telecom and Vodafone AirTouch at the forefront of bringing
the latest mobile technology to market next year.
" The future of communications is very much about the
coming together of mobile services and the Internet. It is
also about global services - and the partnership between us
offers unique global capabilities and reach."
In April, the three partners announced consolidation of
the nine regional J-Phone companies into three companies,
covering eastern, western and central Japan. The move is
part of a drive for greater efficiency within the companies
and to provide stronger regional operational bases.
It followed an announcement in March that the J-Phone
companies, in which BT has an interest directly or through
investment in Japan Telecom, would be incorporated into the
IMT-2000 Planning Company Ltd., - the partners' vehicle for
developing 3G mobile opportunities in the region. In turn,
IMT-2000 was renamed the J-Phone Communications Company
Ltd., with direct ownership split between Japan Telecom,
with a 54 per cent stake, BT with 20 per cent, and Vodafone
AirTouch, 26 per cent.
BT and AT&T jointly hold 30 per cent equity in Japan
Telecom. |
