NTT DoCoMo claims flat-rate data success

10 million sign up in Japan for stress-free mobile internet

Simon Burns in Taipei

More than 20 per cent of NTT DoCoMo customers in Japan have signed up for flat rate mobile internet plans, the company has announced. 

The number of Japanese users opting to pay a fixed monthly rate for unlimited internet or mobile data use on their handsets has now passed 10 million, according to NTT DoCoMo.

Advertisement

"The plan has attracted great popularity by freeing users from concerns about data charges when enjoying data-intensive services," said the mobile carrier in a statement released this week.

NTT DoCoMo is using the data plans to tempt customers to try other profit generating services, such as a new flat rate music download service.

The cheapest flat rate data plan costs $34 a month, providing access to data services including email, messaging and DoCoMo's i-Mode.

The i-Mode network is an extensive, but private, mobile internet. It includes free information and news services as well as shopping, entertainment and other services billed directly to the user's mobile phone account.

Full mobile internet access costs $50 a month, but the service does not include PC internet access via the handset or smartphone, only through the device itself.

However, internet access through a mobile phone is considerably more popular in Japan than in most other markets.

The service was launched in March and NTT DoCoMo now has more than 51 million subscribers in Japan.

The i-Mode service, launched in the late 1990s, was the first successful mobile version of the internet, and succeeded at a time when Wap services were failing.

NTT DoCoMo was also the first carrier to set up a full W-CDMA 3G service in 2001.

  • Have your say
  • Send to a friend
  • Print
  • Digg
  • Reddit
  • Share

Tags:

Do you agree?

Related whitepapers

Related jobs

Most watched

eu flag

V3.co.uk weekly debrief, 6 Nov 09

This week, Europe decides what to do with illegal file sharers

Intel unveils its micro server platform

Small-enclosure systems take aim at hosting market

Analysis and Reports

Remote access - Three steps to getting connected

3.4 million UK professionals now work from home – is your company equipped?

Cost benefits of a global collaboration network

This white paper is a must read for organisations looking for evidence of the bottom-line benefits of high-definition video and voice communications

Poll

Impact of Information Overload poll

Impact of Information Overload poll

What is the biggest problem your firm faces as a result of the data explosion?

View poll results

Advertisement

White paper library

Keep up to date with the latest products, services and technologies from the world's leading IT companies; IThound.com brings you over 6,000 white papers, case studies and analyst reports.

Advertisement

Newsletter signup

Sign up for our range of FREE newsletters:

Existing User

Newsletter user login:

Enter email address to edit your newsletter preferences

Job of the week

Search thousands of IT jobs :

Search thousands of IT jobs:

Advanced search

Hiring now on ComputingCareers:

Related IT jobs

Search thousands of IT jobs :

Search thousands of IT jobs:

Advanced search

Advertisement

Spotlight

Alcatel-Lucent logo

Summit: Networks swamped by information overload

Alcatel-Lucent's Neal Tilley talks about how enterprises and carriers can...

EU flag

Breach notification laws get green light

Privacy rights strengthened in Europe

Richard Thomas

Summit: Richard Thomas advises on handling the data deluge

Former Information Commissioner speaks out on government databases and data...

oracle sun

War of words escalates between EU and Oracle

Commission comes out fighting after criticism from Oracle and Washington

Primary Navigation