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Tag: DoCoMo

  • Docomo launches prepaid Wi-Fi for travelers

    Docomo launches prepaid Wi-Fi for travelers

    Japan’s NTT Docomo has introduced a new prepaid Wi-Fi service for travelers to the nation, offering easy access to its national network of public wireless LAN hotspots.

    The new functionality is being added to the operator’s Japan Welcome SIM prepaid SIM service for tourists and business travelers.

    The service supports high-speed downloads at speeds of up to 988Mbps, and also provides access to Docomo’s LTE and 3G networks. It is offered through plans starting at 1,080 yen ($10) for no bundled data allowance, or 1,836 yen with 600MB of include data.

    Customers have the option to recharge their data allowance by viewing ads or answering questionnaires, and additional data can be purchased for rates starting at 100MB for 216 yen. A free plan with no bundled data allowance is available.

    Docomo is also extending the service period of the prepaid SIMs from five to 20 days, and has introduced an XL version of the plan for 3,024 yen with 2GB of data. As a promotion, the company will offer the XL plan at 1,944 yen for the first 999 customers using a coupon code.

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  • NTT Docomo trials 5G at 305km/hr

    NTT Docomo trials 5G at 305km/hr

    Japan’s NTT Docomo, parent company NTT and vendor NEC have jointly achieved the first 5G transmission between a 28-GHz base station and a 5G mobile station in a car moving at 305km/hr.

    The trial also achieved a 1.1Gbps high-speed data transmission to a 5G mobile station moving at 293km/hr as well as fast handover between 5G  base stations and a 5G mobile station moving at 290km/hr.

    During the trial at the Japan Automobile Research Institute, a test environment was created using a car traveling at speeds similar to that of Japan’s bullet train high-speed railways.

    To overcome the challenges associated with long-range transmission of 28-GHz radio waves, the base and mobile stations were both equipped with beamforming and beam tracking technology.

    The 5G base station also used massive MIMO antennas with 96 elements and supporting up to two beams, and two antenna units per base station.

    Docomo also succeeded in a wireless live transmission of 4K, 120 frame per second video from a car moving at speeds of 200km/hr using NTT’s real-time 4K high frame rate HEVC codec.

    Sony Business Solutions Corporation provided the 4K camera for the trial, while Docomo Team Dandelion Racing manager Dandelion Limited tuned the trial car for an ultra-high-mobility environment and operated the car on the test course.

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  • Docomo, Nokia testing 5G NR in 90-GHz band

    Docomo, Nokia testing 5G NR in 90-GHz band

    Japan’s NTT Docomo and Nokia are performing joint 5G technology trials using extremely high frequency 90-GHz millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum.

    At the Brooklyn 5G Summit in New York this week, the companies are demonstrating the use of a Nokia Bell Labs-developed compact mmWave phased-array antenna system using an integrated circuit solution in the 90-GHz frequency band.

    The demonstration aims to show how using 5G new radio enhancements at higher mmWave bands can manage radio complexity while enabling greater bandwidth.

    Meanwhile using a larger number of antenna elements at higher frequency bands can minimize path loss to enable coverage similar to that found in lower mmWave bands, Nokia said.

    The companies also conducted a joint demonstration to show how dynamic offloading relocation in a 5G core will enable the low-latency networks required to support time critical mobile broadband applications such as automation and augmented reality.

    Nokia and Docomo have pledged to continue to test these technologies at Docomo’s research lab at the Yokosuka Research Park in Japan.

    “These demonstrations at the Brooklyn 5G Summit build on a long collaboration with Nokia,” Docomo CTO Hiroshi Nakamura said.

    “Working together, we want to accelerate the evolution of 5G technologies especially towards pioneering higher frequency bands such as 90 GHz.”

  • Docomo trials 5G for remote healthcare

    Docomo trials 5G for remote healthcare

    Japan’s NTT Docomo has completed a trial involving the use of 5G technology to conduct remote medical examinations.

    The trial in the sparsely populated Wakayama Prefecture used base station equipment provided by NEC.

    It was conducted in collaboration with the Wakayama Prefectural Government and Wakayama Medical University and hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC).

    The Wakayama Prefecture has previously established  a remote medical support internet based video conferencing system to connect 13 prefectural medical institutions and Wakayama Medical University, allowing doctors to receive advice from specialists, even in towns in mountainous areas.

    But the system has frequently met with problems including unclear images and transmission delays due to the underlying internet infrastructure.

    The trial marks an attempt to overcome these issues. It involves the deployment of a fiber cable to establish a remote medical examination service by using 5G to connect Wakayama Medical University and the Hidakagawa Kokuho Kawakami Clinic about 30 km from the university.

    An NEC base station supporting the 28-GHz band and meeting 5G specifications was deployed to enable real-time sharing of images taken by a 4K close-up camera, as well as HD echocardiographic video and MRI images.

    The trial demonstrated that using HD large-screen monitors and high-capacity data transmission it is possible for remote doctors to view the condition of a patient in minute detail, and to communicate more intimately with patients compared to the use of standard videoconferencing equipment.

    “Ultra-high-speed 5G communications are often associated with the entertainment industry. However, these trials showed us that 5G can play a role in solving social issues, such as reducing regional disparities in the delivery of health care,” NTT Docomo senior research engineer for 5G radio access network research Jun Mashino said.

    “We plan to create new business models and value by continuing to take advantage of 5G technologies in collaboration with ICT vendors, and a wide variety of companies and organizations in the near future.”

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  • Nokia wins 5G supply deal with NTT DoCoMo

    Nokia wins 5G supply deal with NTT DoCoMo

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has contracted Nokia to supply 5G baseband products to support the operator’s goal of commercially deploying a 5G network by 2020.

    Under the deal, Nokia will integrate its 5G new radio based AirScale hardware into Nokia’s network and further enhancing existing baseband units.

    DoCoMo and Nokia have been collaborating closely on 5G trials and have now agreed on supply of Nokia 5G baseband units to support centralized management for 5G remote radio heads, supporting the evolution of the DoCoMo network from LTE to 5G.

    “We have been collaborating with partners such as Nokia on various 5G technology and use case trials since 2014. With this agreement with Nokia, we are now proceeding to the next step to launch 5G mobile services by 2020, and accelerate co-creation of new services and businesses with vertical industry partners,” DoCoMo CTO Hiroshi Nakamura said.

    Nokia is currently focused on applying the 3GPP-compliant 5G new radio standard in customer trials ahead of expected commercial launches between 2019 and 2020. The first stage of the 5G new radio standard was published in late 2017.

  • Hello Cycling now can be found in 7-eleven

    Hello Cycling now can be found in 7-eleven

    Bicycle hubs are being rolled out at 7-Eleven Japan outlets in a partnership with the Hello Cycling bike-sharing business.

    The convenience store parent Seven & I Holdings has partnered with Hello Cycling, launched last year by tech company SoftBank Group and its subsidiary OpenStreet. Customers can rent and return bikes at the special 7-Eleven parking lots.

    So far the service is available at nine 7-Eleven locations in Saitama, north of Tokyo, with plans to have 5000 bicycles available at 1000 stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area and other cities by the end next year. There are about 20,000 7-Eleven stores throughout Japan.

    Hello Cycling members can search for bike-share stations and reserve bicycles via smartphone. If they register a transportation smart card, they can pick up bikes on the spot without a reservation. Payment can be made by credit card without entering the store, and bikes can be returned at any participating location.

    In February, 7-Eleven partnered with the Docomo Bike Share service, run by wireless carrier NTT Docomo, making about 150 bicycles available at 32 stores in Tokyo and elsewhere. The partnership will continue alongside the SoftBank service, which follows the Japanese debut of China’s Beijing Mobike Technology in August, with rival Ofo preparing to follow suit.

    Mercari, a Tokyo-based flea-market app company, also plans to break into bike-sharing early next year.

  • DoCoMo trials 4K video streaming for cars over 5G

    DoCoMo trials 4K video streaming for cars over 5G

    NTT DoCoMo joined forces with Toyota, Ericsson and Intel on a trial of 5G technologies for automobiles, achieving data speeds of up to 1Gbps in a vehicle traveling at 30km/h.

    The trial of 4K video communications was conducted along Tokyo’s Odaiba waterfront. It involved a moving vehicle mounted with an Intel GO 5G automotive platform terminal equipped with an on-board antenna head.

    The trial environment was constructed by DoCoMo using multiple Ericsson base stations and the Cloud RAN platform. Live 4K video was streamed at data speeds of up to 1Gbps downlink and 600Mbps uplink.

    Further trials will be conducted by the four companies to test the practicality of advanced services for 5G connected cars and other applications.

    The technology will also be demonstrated at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo from November 9 to 11 as part of the DoCoMo R&D Open House 2017.

    NTT DoCoMo parent company NTT Group and Toyota have meanwhile agreed to collaborate on the research and development of an ICT platform for 5G connected cars.

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  • DoCoMo achieves URLLC with outdoor 5G trial

    DoCoMo achieves URLLC with outdoor 5G trial

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has claimed two new world first with recent 5G trials, including the first successful outdoor trial of 5G technologies for ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC).

    The trial, conducted with Huawei in the 4.5-GHz bands, involved a stationary mobile terminal receiving signals at distances of up to 1km from the base station.

    DoCoMo said the trial achieved an over-the-air latency of less than 1ms with a packet transmission success rate of more than 99.999% – both prerequisites for URLLC under 3GPP and ITU-R standards.

    These standards were achieved at distances of 0.3km to 0.6km from the base station when the terminal was moving at around 25km/h. Both tests achieved actual over-the-air latency of around 0.65ms downlink and 0.57ms uplink.

    Separately, DoCoMo conducted a joint trial with MediaTek involves using a self-developed non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) chipset designed to increase the spectral efficiency of mobile devices by up to 2.3 times compared to existing LTE technology.

    This marked the first 5G trial using a smartphone-sized NOMA chipset embedded device to increase spectral efficiency, DoCoMo said. The chipset also used MediaTek’s multi-user interference cancellation technology, a prerequisite for NOMA.

    Finally, DoCoMo also announced it has teamed up with Sony to conduct a joint trial involving real-time transition of HD video over 5G to Sony’s experimental New Concept Cart high-tech vehicle (see the picture below).

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  • DoCoMo finally exits Tata Teleservices

    DoCoMo finally exits Tata Teleservices

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has finally completed its exit from Indian joint venture Tata Teleservices, following the acquisition of Tata Teleservices’ consumer mobile business by Bharti Airtel.

    DoCoMo disclosed it has received the payment awarded by the Delhi High Court in the legal dispute with the Reserve Bank of India over DoCoMo’s planned exit from the venture. The company has received 144.9 billion yen ($1.27 billion).

    The dispute was related to DoCoMo’s original agreement when it first invested in Tata Teleservices back in 2008. The investment had the condition that DoCoMo was entitled to sell its stake in the venture at a predetermined sum if it chose to.

    DoCoMo first attempted to exercise the option in 2014 after being unsatisfied with the performance of the venture, but the RBI blocked the transaction on the grounds that it violates Indian regulations restricting the sale of shares at a price higher than market value.

    DoCoMo entered international arbitration with Tata Sons and Tata Teleservices over the dispute, and the court awarded DoCoMo with $1.17 billion in damages. But the RBI again objected to the transaction, prompting DoCoMo to file a case with the Delhi High Court.

    With the court finding in DoCoMo’s favor and Tata Group having now sold off Tata Teleservices’ consumer mobile business to Airtel, DoCoMo was finally able to collect on the settlement.

    The 144.9 billion yen payment included the original damages awarded as well as interests earned and other cots awarded. DoCoMo has now transferred all its shares in Tata Teleservices to Tata Sons and companies designated by Tata Sons.

    Due to the payout DoCoMo has adjusted its forecast for the financial year ending in March 2018 to predict net income of 740 billion yen, up from the initial forecast of 655 billion yen.

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  • DoCoMo to deploy Ericsson’s UDN

    DoCoMo to deploy Ericsson’s UDN

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has contracted Ericsson to provide the vendor’s Unified Delivery Network (UDN) global content delivery network solution for the DoCoMo mobile network.

    The contract marks Ericsson’s first deployment of its UDN in Japan. DoCoMo will initially use the platform to roll out content distribution services, and will follow this up by introducing future value added services including toll-free data for certain content.

    Ericsson’s UDN is designed to connect content providers worldwide with the last mile reach network operators can offer.

    It is designed to aggregate network capabilities to allow services to be optimized and monetized in new ways, while offering operators the ability to efficiently scale the delivery of OTT services and high-quality video content.

    “For future services, NTT DoCoMo foresees that consumption of 4K video, virtual reality and augmented reality content will increase and believes a platform like a UDN adds value in the high-speed 5G era,” the operator’s GM of service design Takaaki Sato said.

    Ericsson head of UDN service provider partnerships Cillilan Maher said its UDN ecosystem now encompasses 55 content providers and 40 operators worldwide.

    “As part of [this ecosystem], DoCoMo will be able to significantly advance the traditional content delivery network model,” he said.

    “As a service provider partner, they will be able to garner incremental revenue and can participate as a content provider, driving traffic through both their own network and the UDN ecosystem.”

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  • DoCoMo launches prepaid SIM for foreign visitors

    DoCoMo launches prepaid SIM for foreign visitors

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo will this week launch a new prepaid SIM service for foreign visitors to Japan providing access to its network for 15 days.

    The Japan Welcome SIM offering will launch on July 1. It will allow travelers to apply for the service online prior to leaving their home country and pick up their SIMs in locations such as international airports upon their arrival in Japan.

    Visitors will be able to subscribe to one of three 15-day plans, including a 1,000 yen ($8.90) plan providing unlimited 128kbps internet access and a 1,700 yen plan providing download speeds of up to 682Mbps for the first 500MB used. Additional high-speed access can be purchased for 200 yen per 100MB of 700 yen per 500MB.

    From October, DoCoMo will also launch a plan providing free internet access in exchange for viewing a certain number of video ads and filling out a survey prior to their arrival.

    DoCoMo partners will also be able to bundle access to the Japan Welcome SIM service with their own services. Initially Tokyu Hotels and Booking.com will be providing the service. This will include the ability for reselling businesses to offer unmetered access to their own web services.

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  • DoCoMo adopts SAP HANA to boost customer service

    DoCoMo adopts SAP HANA to boost customer service

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo will adopt the SAP HANA platform as the foundation of its data needs to improve customer service.

    Large volumes of data, as large as 18TB, will be collected from various touch points, including nationwide DoCoMo Shops, for processing and analysis.

    The new platform will initiate better customer services by helping to identify areas of operational improvement at the storefronts and uncover best practices for applying insights and lessons from other stores.

    The implementation took eight months to complete and officially went live in March 2017.

    DoCoMo needed a new IT platform system to meet three key objectives – strengthen its competitive edge, propose and deliver services that meet customer needs, and enhance data utilization efficacy and operational efficiency of the sales team.

    “Before we implemented the new system, we lacked the capability to deliver information to the sales force. It took the backend office at least a week or two to generate and deliver information” stated Taku Hasegawa, GM of DoCoMo’s Information Systems Department.

    “Now with SAP HANA, users can pull out the latest data whenever they need to. An increase in performance has also helped individual storefronts to monitor status of sales promotions. Moving forward, we expect to see an improvement in service at docomo Shops.”

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  • Nokia, DoCoMo to test 5G in 4.5-GHz

    Nokia, DoCoMo to test 5G in 4.5-GHz

    Nokia and NTT DoCoMo have jointly announced plans to conduct interoperability testing of multi-vendor technology using the 4.5-GHz frequency band, as part of broader efforts to help develop Japan’s 5G ecosystem.

    The companies will be testing 5G applications using Nokia’s AirScale base station and 5G radio interface using the Intel 5G mobile trial platform.

    End-to-end applications will be tested over the air between the base station and the device using the 4.5-GHz spectrum, which is one of the 5G candidate frequency bands in Japan.

    Nokia’s AirScale active antenna with Massive MIMO technology and digital beamforming will be used to test applications including low-latency 4K video streaming.

    “This is a vital first step to allow us to ensure that we have the 5G network infrastructure available for when we commercially introduce the technology, with an ecosystem of device vendors to offer our subscribers the best possible choice and highest quality,” NTT DoCoMo CTO Seizo Onoe said.

    “This trial is an important milestone for the development of 5G in Japan, which will be one of the first countries in the world to adopt the technology,” added Nokia Japan head Jae Won.
    “Furthermore, the initiative is an important step forward in our collaboration with NTT DOCOMO, as well as other key technology partners, as we develop a technology that will meet the ever-growing demands of huge numbers of people living in megacities.”

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  • DoCoMo plans major leadership shake-up

    DoCoMo plans major leadership shake-up

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has announced significant proposed changes to its management team as part of efforts to “further grow and develop the company.”

    The operator revealed that one executive director, one director, two audit and supervisory board members and four senior vice presidents are planning to resign, mostly to take up new positions at DoCoMo subsidiaries or affiliate companies.

    In their places there are two new candidates for the board of directors, two new candidates for the audit and supervisory board and seven new senior vice president candidates.

    The changes to the executive positions will be put up for approval at the shareholders meeting, the board of directors meeting and the audit & supervisory board meeting scheduled on June 20, 2017.

    If the changes are approved, DoCoMo’s new board will include executive vice presidents Hirotaka Sato, Kiyohiro Omatsuzawa, Hiroshi Tsujigami, Kouji Furukawa and Kyoji Murakami, as well as senior vice presidents Hiroshi Nakamura and Hozumi Tamura.

    The top leadership team will consist of president, CEO and board member Kazuhiro Yoshizawa, senior executive vice president, CIO, CISO, chief privacy officer and board member Hiroyasu Asami, and senior executive vice president for global business, corporate and CSR and board member Toshiki Nakayama.

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  • DoCoMo wins Indian court case over TTSL exit

    DoCoMo wins Indian court case over TTSL exit

    India’s Delhi High Court has found in favor of Japan’s NTT DoCoMo and local holding company Tata Sons in their dispute with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) over an international arbitration settlement.

    With the verdict DoCoMo will be entitled to collect the $1.18 billion award reached in a settlement agreement in the London Court of International Arbitration, associated with DoCoMo’s planned exit of the Tata DoCoMo Indian telecoms joint venture.

    When DoCoMo first entered the joint venture in 2008 via an investment in Tata Teleservices, it was with the condition that the operator would be entitled to sell its stake in the venture at a predetermined sum if it chose to leave the venture.

    DoCoMo attempted to exercise this option in 2014 after the joint venture failed to perform as desired, and when Tata Sons failed to find a buyer the holding company applied to the RBI to make the acquisition.

    But the RBI blocked the transaction on the grounds that it violates Indian regulations restricting the sale of shares at a price higher than market value.

    DoCoMo entered international arbitration with Tata Sons and Tata Teleservices in an attempt to break this deadlock, and the court awarded DoCoMo with $1.17 billion in damages.

    But the RBI objected to this transaction, and DoCoMo accordingly brought the case before the Delhi High Court. DoCoMo and Tata entered a settlement agreement in February, but the RBI once again sought to block the enforcement of this agreement on the grounds that it would be circumventing Indian regulations.

    Tata Sons was required to deposit the $1.18 billion with the court while the case was being held. The settlement can now be transferred to DoCoMo in exchange for the operator’s shares in Tata Teleservices..