TOKYO—NTT DoCoMo announced it will launch motion picture distribution services for its third-generation (3G) service called FOMA on 19 November. A new handset, which will be equipped with the function for the new service called i-motion, will be launched on the same day.
Initially, 28 content providers will provide a total of 37 programs for the service. Each content lasts about 15 seconds. Audio-only content lasts up to 100 seconds.
The i-motion service is free to i-mode subscribers. Some content providers will charge between100 yen (US$0.81) and 300 yen (US$2.44) in content fees per month. Users will be separately charged the packet communications fee to get the content. The packet communications fee for a typical 15-second clip will be priced based on the subscriber’s charging program. The new handset for the new service will hit the market on 19 November. The price is open, but it is expected to sell at around 40,000 yen (US$326) per unit.
Motion picture distribution service is considered one of the most remarkable services for FOMA, which provides up to 384 kilobits per second (kbps) data transmission speeds. NTT DoCoMo is planning to launch a “download-type” motion picture distribution service called M-Stage Visual in April.
NTT DoCoMo launched the FOMA service in October in the central part of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Starting in December, NTT DoCoMo will expand its FOMA service area to Osaka and Nagoya.
