TOKYO—KDDI, the second-largest mobile operator in Japan, announced it will launch location services using the global positioning system (GPS) satellite system and motion picture services with 64 kilobits per second (kbps) data speeds in early December.
KDDI is losing market share in Japan, while its two rivals—NTT DoCoMo and J-Phone—are expanding their subscribers riding on NTT DoCoMo’s i-mode service popularity and J-Phone’s popular handset with a built-in camera.
According to KDDI, the location services will be able to locate a certain point with an error of just several meters. Conventional location services provided by PHS networks can locate a point with an error of several hundred meters. KDDI will offer some 20 content services based on the technology, including traffic information, emergency services and personal navigation services.
At the same time, KDDI will launch its motion picture service based on Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) 2.0 in December. Initially, some 60 content services, including new film clipping services, music and news, will be provided.
Three new handsets for the new services will be launched in December. KDDI is targeting to sell 1 million units of the new handsets by the end of March 2002.
KDDI is calling the GPS and motion picture services the first phase of its next-generation service. As the second phase, KDDI will launch CDMA 1x service in April, which will offer 144 kbps data transmission services.
