On July 16, NTT DoCoMo announced that it will establish a wholly-owned subsidiary in Amsterdam to serve as a hub from which to promote the dissemination of i-mode service in Europe.
DoCoMo i-mode Europe will provide technology and marketing consulting, as well as support in the set-up and operation of i-mode services. The clients will be operators to which DoCoMo has licensed i-mode technology, including KPN Mobile, E-Plus Mobilfunk, BASE and Bouygues Telecom, in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and France, respectively.
Other important tasks of the new company will be to promote i-mode service in Europe, encouraging other operators to choose i-mode as their mobile Internet service, and to provide consultation to European operators who are willing to set up i-mode service. In addition, it will conduct studies of European mobile communications markets.
DoCoMo i-mode Europe will be established in late July, with capital of 2.4 million euros, and will initially employ about 10 people. Yusuke Kanda from the i-mode planning department at NTT DoCoMo’s headquarters will likely be the new company’s president.
Article translated by Richard So and edited by Richard So
