KDDI <9433.T> says photo-mail users spending more
Reuters, 11.18.02, 12:53 AM ET
forbes.com
TOKYO, Nov 18 (Reuters) - KDDI Corp, Japan's second-largest telecoms carrier, said on Monday that users of its mobile photo e-mailing service spend about one-third more per month than its other cellphone subscribers, giving a hefty lift to revenues.
"Presuming a typical subscriber has an average revenue per user of 7,500 yen ($62.30) per month, (photo-mail users) end up about 2,000 to 3,000 yen above that," Toshio Okihashi, senior executive manager of KDDI's flagship "au" mobile service, said.
KDDI's photo-mail service, launched in April, lets subscribers snap photos with camera-equipped handsets and send them to other cellphone users.
"In the first month people tend to use the service heavily, but then cut back in the second month after they get their first bill. By the third month, the level of use stabilises," Okihashi told a news conference.
KDDI's photo-mail service lagged far behind that of rival J-Phone, the third-largest Japanese telecoms operator and a pioneer in camera phones that launched its "sha-mail" wireless photo mail service in late 2000.
J-Phone is owned by Japan Telecom Holdings <9434.T> and Britain's Vodafone Plc <VOD.L>.
Some analysts have voiced doubts whether camera phones would significantly increase wireless carriers' revenues per user in the long run, with many subscribers using them mainly to snap and store photos rather than sending them as e-mails.
Okihashi disputed this view.
"We have to analyse the figures further, but this is definitely leading to a rise in average revenues per user," he said.
The company also unveiled several new mobile services for the Japanese market, including music downloads that will let users retrieve 15- to 30-second segments from a CD via the Internet, which could then be used as a ringing tone.
KDDI also expanded its line-up of video-mail phones with new models from Casio Computer Co Ltd <6952.T> and Hitachi Ltd <6501.T>, adding to an existing model from Toshiba Corp <6502.T>.
The company aims to have one million users of its movie e-mail service, which can send 15-second video clips over its high-speed third-generation wireless network, by the end of the business year to next March 31.
In late afternoon trade, KDDI's shares were down 3.68 percent at 340,000 yen, depressed with a slide in the overall market that knocked the Nikkei average <.N225> down nearly two percent. ($1=120.36 yen)
Copyright 2002, Reuters News Service |
