J-Phone

TOKYO-Vodafone Group, the largest mobile carrier in the world, announced in May it will acquire British Telecommunications’ (BT) entire stake in Japan Telecom Group (JT) for 652.3 billion yen (US$5.4 …

The future of third-generation networks took a hit last week following NTT DoCoMo’s announcement that it was suspending the introduction of its highly touted 3G network in Japan from May …

TOKYO-Toyota Motor Corp. sold its stakes in three regional wireless companies to Japan Telecom for an undisclosed amount, international press reports said. J-Phone Communications is Japan’s second-largest mobile carrier and …

Lucent Technologies Lucent Technologies introduced Flexent Wireless IP Core Network Architecture, which it said will help wireless carriers deliver a range of voice and data services to customers. According to …

TOKYO-The number of browser-phone users in Japan exceeded 30 million as of the end of February 2001, according to the Telecommunications Carriers’ Association, an industry body. According to the TCA, …

LONDON-As speculated earlier this week, Vodafone Group plc said it agreed to acquire AT&T’s Corp.’s 10-percent economic interest in Japan Telecom Co. for $1.35 billion in cash. Following the completion …

TOKYO-Matsushita Communications Industrial, the leading cellular vendor in Japan, is putting the final touches on its new third-generation (3G) mobile terminals for NTT DoCoMo. NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s leading mobile carrier, …

NTT DoCoMo, announced that it set the public offering prices for new shares at $17,500 per share for 400,000 shares. If the additional 60,000 shares are issued at the same …

TOKYO-KDDI, the sole cdmaOne operator in Japan, has been expanding its international roaming services, fully using its universally standardized cdmaOne technology. In January, KDDI launched international roaming services in Canada …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-Vodafone Group plc and Ireland’s Eircom plc reached an agreement calling for Vodafone to acquire the business of Eircell, Eircom’s mobile operator, for about $4.1 billion in stock. According …

Chris Gent has had quite a year. For the chief executive of Vodafone Group plc, 2000 began with a hostile takeover of Mannesmann AG, parent of its rival Orange plc, …

TOKYO-British Telecommunications plc is in the process of increasing its current 15-percent stake in Japan Telecom Co. Ltd., according to Reuters. The move comes at the same time BT rival …

London-based mobile phone giant Vodafone Group plc reported strong interim results for the six months ended Sept. 30, including a 55-percent increase in proportionate customer additions compared with the same …

TOKYO-The third-generation (3G) business plans and service strategies of three Japanese cellular carriers are becoming more concrete. NTT DoCoMo and J-Phone Group, the mobile business of Japan Telecom, are going …

Alcatel Europe. With Orange as a strategic supplier for its third-generation networks throughout Europe. Value: Undisclosed Italy. With Wind Telecomunicazioni as a preferred third-generation network supplier. Value: Undisclosed Ericsson China. …

TOKYO-Japanese vendors are in the final stages of developing third-generation (3G) terminals. Japanese 3G services are scheduled to be launched earlier than any other country in May 2001 by NTT …

Belgium Belgium’s ASTRID, the government-owned corporation responsible for providing communications to all Belgian public safety organizations, launched Nokia Corp.’s TETRA network. Nokia said the TETRA system will provide ASTRID with …

TOKYO-Ericsson and Japan’s J-Phone Communications Co. signed an agreement covering the commercial launch of J-Phone’s W-CDMA network, beginning in 2001. Ericsson is supplying systems to support the Tokyo, Osaka and …

India The government-owned Department of Telecom Operations (DTO) will start its cellular mobile service in some cities by March 2001. It will soon float a tender for the supply and …

TOKYO-Advertising on mobile terminals, including the popular i-mode-enabled terminals, has established itself as a lucrative business in Japan. The number of Japanese users who access the Internet via cellular terminals …

TOKYO-The Japanese government on 30 June granted third-generation (3G) licenses to three carrier groups: NTT DoCoMo, J-Phone Group and DDI Group. NTT DoCoMo is scheduled to launch its 3G services …

Germany WorldCom, Vivendi and Talkline, an SBC Communications and Tele Danmark joint venture, formally pulled out of the German auction for third-generation licenses, scheduled to begin 31 July. U.K. operator …

TOKYO-J-Phone Group, Japan’s second-largest mobile phone company, plans to merge its nine member firms into three companies later this year. The announcement follows the company’s application for a third-generation license …

Japan Vodafone AirTouch plc, together with its partners Japan Telecom and British Telecom, has agreed to restructure its interests in Japan ahead of the start of the third-generation license application …

TOKYO-NTT Corp. and new common carriers (NCCs), carriers competing with NTT in the liberalized market, are in a debate about implementing the Long Run Incremental Cost (LRIC) interconnection model, which …