Japan Starts Building 4G Network
Japan’s biggest mobile phone company, NTT DoCoMo, has started upgrading its 3G phone network to 4G. The new 4G network should be available to phone users by the end of 2010.
The Japanese mobile carrier is investing around Y300 billion in the new 4G network.
NTT DoCoMo – 4G Japan in December 2010
The biggest mobile phone carrier in Japan – NTT DoCoMO – is planning to launch 4G in December 2010.
Around Y300 billion will be invested by NTT DoCoMO in the new service. The phone company says it plans to switch off 2G services in March 2011.
Korea 4G: “Behind US, in front of China”
According to new data released by the Korea Communications Commission, Korea’s 4G mobile technology is one year behind the US and six months behind Japan’s 4G technology.
There is some good news – the same report says Korea’s mobile technology is ahead of China by nearly two and a half years.
Ericsson Hopes for Japan 4G Mobile Network
Ericsson may win contracts for new a 4G mobile network by Japan’s NTT DoCoMo in 2010, according to Ericsson’s head of radio networks, Ulf Ewaldsson.
Trials of 4G with several mobile operators were ongoing, he said, and added that DoCoMo will decide next year whether to use Ericsson for its LTE technology.
The Stockholm based company has already won orders from Swedish mobile operator TeliaSonera as well as Verizon Wireless and MetroPCS in the states.
eMobile: First 3.9G, then 4G in Japan
The newest mobile phone operator in Japan, eMobile, says it’s looking to launch a so called 3.9G LTE service in 2010. The service will run as a prelude to eMobile’s full 4G phone offering for Japan in 2012.
The company recently launched a 3.5G / HSPA+ mobile data service in Japan’s largest cites Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama and Nagoya.
NTT DoCoMo: 4G confirmed for December 2010
Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo has confirmed it will launch its 4G mobile broadband network in December 2010.
DoCoMo plans to upgrade 20,000 base stations allowing it to cover 50% of Japan with 4G. The 50% coverage mark should be in place by 2014.
At launch, the service will use notebook data cards – with dual 4G / 3G handsets being available from 2011. This will give 4G network coverage where it’s available in Japan with 3G being used as a fill in service where 4G is not available.
Japan: NTT DoCoMo will go 4G in 2010
In an interview with the Financial Times, President of DoCoMo, Ryuji Yamada, said he is committed to launching a fourth generation 4G mobile phone network in 2010.
Mr Yamada said the 4G network will be launched as a companion service to 3G. “We want to introduce LTE as an overlay on top of 3G. From 2011 we plan to have handsets that can use either system,” he said.
Earlier this year, DoCoMo launched BeeTV which offers videos customized for mobile phones. Around 400,000 customers signed up in the first seven weeks. The company hopes these kind of offers will boost take up of unlimited data plans, especially as 4G / LTE becomes available in Japan.
Japan Gives Green Light to LTE
The Japanese communications ministry has given the green light to business plans for 4G / LTE services presented by the Japanese mobile phone operators NTT Docomo, KDDI, Softbank Mobile and Emobile.
Each of the four mobile operators have set aside between JPY 207 and JPY 515 to realise their plans and will launch 4G in Japan between September 2010 and late 2012.
