Japan To Upgrade>
Japan Telecom, 2 others to offer upgraded cell phone
service
Kyodo News Service/Associated Press
TOKYO, Dec. 1 (Kyodo) -- Japan Telecom
Co., [ Nissan Motor Co. ] and [ AirTouch
International ] announced Tuesday they are
moving into the next-generation mobile phone
service that offers better sound quality and
makes it possible for the transmission of
TV-quality images.
The three companies said they have set up a planning company, named
IMT-2000 Planning Co., to undertake feasibility studies.
The Tokyo-based IMT-2000 Planning, capitalized at 200 million yen, is
owned 40% by long-distance carrier Japan Telecom, 34% by Nissan and
26% by AirTouch, a U.S. cellular phone operator.
IMT-2000 Planning is expected to turn into a business operating company
possibly by next summer after completing preparations and increasing its
capital base.
The upgraded mobile phone service, using the so-called W-CDMA
technology, offers a far larger transmission throughput than conventional
services, realizing a better sound quality and enabling transmission of
television-quality images.
The new service is expected to be operation in 2001.
W-CDMA, which stands for wide-band code division multiple access, is
expected to be a unified global standard, the three companies said.
The cell phone market using this technology is expected to grow into tens of
trillion yen by 2010, according to one estimate.
Japan's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications allows three operators to
offer this service. IMT-2000 Planning is the second firm to enter the market,
following NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc. (NTT DoCoMo),
Japan's largest cell phone operator.
The third company entering the market is likely to be an alliance between
DDI Corp.-affiliated cellular phone operators and international and domestic
long-distance carrier KDD.
Publication Date: December 01, 1998
Powered by NewsReal's IndustryWatch
...back to top
|
