Poor battery life , reception problems and lack of content make cellphones 'next to useless'
DoCoMo's 3G service disappoints users in trial
From the Qualcomm Moderated Thread..
Message 16219097
By REIJI YOSHIDA
Staff writer
At the end of May, Kazunori Hagiwara was thrilled to be chosen to try out NTT DoCoMo's next-generation cellphone system.
But two months after FOMA, the world's first 3G service, kicked off, the new handset sits idle despite a data transmission speed of 384 kilobits per second.
"It's next to useless," said Hagiwara, who hoped to receive about 100 e-mails a day and use the mobile phone on business trips.
Some problems Hagiwara noted were repeatedly disrupted connections, poor battery life and a lack of content specifically designed for the faster transmission speed.
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The battery life issue is also a formidable hurdle. While in call-waiting mode, FOMA cellphones must be recharged after just one day.
Since FOMA handsets use more electricity than conventional cellular phones, LSI semiconductors will have to be improved to extend battery life, according to a top DoCoMo executive in charge of network infrastructure.
"It's not a matter of months but a matter of a year," he said, adding that DoCoMo alone cannot solve the problem and that cooperation among handset makers is becoming a necessity.
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DoCoMo to upgrade 3G phones
asia.cnn.com
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"Earlier in the week, the telco said it would begin replacing defective " DoCoMo by Sony " mobile phones. "
More battery problems for SONY??
PCSTEL |
