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To: Ibexx who wrote (95727)	3/14/2001 11:53:52 PM
From: Jacob Snyder	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 152472

March 14, 2001 NTT DoCoMo and AT&T Wireless Plan I-Mode Service in U.S. in 2002 A WSJ.COM News Roundup TOKYO -- NTT DoCoMo Inc. will begin offering its popular "i-mode" wireless Internet service in the U.S. through its partner AT&T Wireless Group Corp. early next year, an executive at the Japanese carrier said Wednesday. The service -- which allows users to exchange e-mail, check stock prices and find restaurant, movie and other information on cellphones -- will likely begin in the Seattle area and be expanded nationwide in a year or two, said Kiyoyuki Tsujimura, managing director overseeing global strategy. AT&T Wireless will set up a unit especially for i-mode, Mr. Tsujimura said in an interview at NTT DoCoMo's Tokyo headquarters. NTT DoCoMo is also looking into acquiring additional stakes in Asia and remains very interested in the South Korean market, Mr. Tsujimura said, though he refused to mention specific companies. "[South Korea] is an attractive market for us, and we are thinking about finding an opportunity there," he said. NTT DoCoMo bought a 16% stake in AT&T Wireless last year, as well as minority stakes in KPN Mobile N.V. of the Netherlands, Hutchison 3G U.K. Holdings, Taiwan's KG Telecom and Hutchison Telecom of Hong Kong, in an effort to expand its business globally. Before i-mode starts running next year in the U.S., Web access in the current wireless application protocol format, which is different from i-mode, will be offered using an upgraded network known as General Packet Radio Service, Mr. Tsujimura said. I-mode fees in the U.S. will be similar to what the 20 million Japanese users pay on average, at $70 for voice and about $17 for i-mode transmission fees, but flat rates, not offered in Japan, are being considered for the American market, he said. NTT DoCoMo plans to offer a more advanced form of wireless technology, known as third-generation, that will allow for video, audio and other heavy-duty transmissions. A limited rollout in the Tokyo area is slated for May. Mr. Tsujimura said 3G is being planned for the U.S. by AT&T Wireless by the end of 2002 or 2003, using NTT DoCoMo technology. Separately, NTT DoCoMo is targeting 150,000 subscribers for its third-generation mobile-phone service in fiscal 2001 starting April 1, Takeshi Natsuno, a senior executive of the company said. DoCoMo will launch the world's first 3G mobile-phone service in May based on wideband code-division multiple access technology.