TOKYO-NTT Communications, an international and long-distance business unit of NTT Group, and Pia, a ticket sales company, announced they would set up a joint venture to provide electronic ticket services. The joint venture, to be called Pia Digital Lifeline, will provide services to let mobile-phone users go through a concert hall gate or enter a movie theater by holding their phones over the gates.
The joint venture will be set up 16 August. Pia holds an 80-percent stake, and NTT Comm holds the remaining 20 percent. The joint venture will launch services in January 2003. The company is planning to provide the services at 100 concert sites, movie theaters and event halls by April 2003 at the earliest.
