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NTT Docomo

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"Docomo" redirects here. Not to be confused withCOCOMO,Kokomo,Kodomo,Komodo,Comodo,orTata Docomo.
NTT Docomo, Inc.
Native name
Kabushiki gaisha NTTドコモ
Kabushiki gaisha Entiti Dokomo
Company typeSubsidiaryKK
IndustryTelecommunications
Founded14 August 1991;33 years ago(1991-08-14)
HeadquartersSanno Park Tower
Nagatachō,Chiyoda,Tokyo,Japan
Key people
Kazuhiro Yoshizawa (CEO)[1]
ProductsPDC,i-mode,W-CDMA,FOMA,HSDPA,LTE,5G NR,PHS
RevenueIncrease¥6.06 trillion(2022)[2]
Increase¥1.09 trillion(2022)[2]
Increase¥771.8 billion(2022)[2]
Total assetsDecrease¥10.2 trillion(2022)[2]
Total equityDecrease¥6.95 trillion(2022)[2]
Number of employees
27,558 (2019)[3]
ParentNippon Telegraph and Telephone(NTT)
Divisions
  • R&D Innovation Division
  • Network Division
  • Product Marketing Division
  • Consumer Services Company
Subsidiaries
ASN9605Edit this at Wikidata
Websitewww.nttdocomo.co.jp
Logo used from 1991 to 2008

NTT Docomo, Inc.(Kabushiki gaisha NTTドコモ,stylized asNTT DoCoMountil 2008)[A],also known asDocomo(ドコモ,Dokomo),is a Japanesemobile phone operatorowned by theNippon Telegraph and Telephone(NTT). The name is officiallyan abbreviation of the phrase,"do communications over the mobile network", and is also from acompound worddokomo,meaning "everywhere" in Japanese.[5]The company is headquartered inSanno Park Tower,Nagatachō,Chiyoda, Tokyo.[6]Docomo provides phone, video phone (FOMAand somePHS),i-mode(internet), and mail (i-mode mail, Short Mail, andSMS) services. It is thelargest wireless carrier in Japan,with 82.632 million subscribers as of March 2021.[7]

Docomo was spun off from NTT in August 1991 to take over the mobile cellular operations. NTT held a majority stake in the company until Docomo's re-privatization in 2020.

It provides2G(mova)PDCcellular services,3G(FOMA)W-CDMA,4GLTEand5GNRservices. Its businesses also includedPHS(Paldio), paging, and satellite. Docomo ceased offering a PHS service on January 7, 2008. In late 2020, Docomo wasbought backby NTT for about $40 billion.[8]

Customers

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NTT Docomo is a subsidiary of Japan'sincumbent telephone operator,NTT.The majority of NTT Docomo's shares are owned by NTT (which is 33.71% government-owned). While some NTT shares are publicly traded, control of the company by Japanese interests (government and civilian) is guaranteed by the number of shares available to buyers. It provides wireless voice and data communications to subscribers in Japan. NTT Docomo is the creator of W-CDMA technology as well as mobilei-modeservice.

NTT Docomo had over 53 million customers (as of March 2008), which is more than half of Japan's cellular market. The company provides a wide variety of mobile multimedia services. These include i-mode which provides e-mail and internet access to over 50 million subscribers,FOMA,which was launched in 2001 as the world's first3Gmobile service based onW-CDMA,Xi, a4GLTEmobile service which was launched on December 24, 2010, Premium 4G, aLTE Advancedservice which was launched on March 27, 2015, and DoCoMo5G,a5G NRservice which launched on March 25, 2020.

In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries inEuropeandNorth America,the company is expanding its global reach through strategic alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in Asia-Pacific and Europe. NTT Docomo is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM), and New York (DCM) stock exchanges.

On April 19, 2008, it was announced that Ryuji Yamada, the co-president of NTT Docomo, would be promoted to president of NTT Docomo in June 2008. Masao Nakamura would stay in NTT Docomo as a director and also the senior adviser. Since the introduction in October 2006 of the service that allows a user totake their original phone number to a new provider,NTT Docomo has lost many users toKDDIandSoftBank.This promotion was made in order to get more users for NTT Docomo.[9]The company was the last major global mobile carrier to offer Apple's iPhone, which it finally did with the release of the iPhone 5s and 5c. This has been cited as one of the reasons for the steady stream of its customers switching to competing networks.[10]

In June 2011, the company announced that they were teaming up withMcAfeeto provide McAfee VirusScan Mobile for its Android mobile users.[11]In July 2012, NTT Docomo acquired Italy'sBuongiornoin a deal worth 209 million euros.[12]

Research and development

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In October 2007, Docomo andMitsubishi Electricshowcased a prototypemobile phoneat theCEATECtrade show. The phone checked health by tracking body movement and measuring calories, and included a breath analyzer.[13]On January 24, 2008, NTT Docomo announced a partnership withGoogle,which allowed all models after the FOMA904i models to viewYouTubevideos.[14][15]In 2008, NTT Docomo became a founding member of theSymbian Foundation.[16]

In May 2017, Docomo launched5Gtrial networks atAomi,Odaiba(Tokyo Waterfront City) and the area aroundTokyo Skytree.[17]It commercially launched its 5G network on March 25, 2020, making it the first Japanese operator to do so,[18]and making Japan among the first country in the world to launch 5G.[citation needed]

In August 2021, Docomo andAirbusdemonstrated a solar-poweredZephyr High Altitude Platform Station(HAPS) for use with5Gand6Gtechnology. The trial took place in the United States over 18 days, and involved flying in thestratosphereand transmitting data at various speeds up to a distance of 140 km. If successful, then Docomo and Airbus would be able to provide communication services to remote islands, mountainous areas, and to remote sea lanes.[19][needs update]

Earthquake warning system

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From 2008, Docomo began offering a service called the "Area Mail Disaster Information Service" which broadcastsEarthquake Early Warningmessages produced by theJapan Meteorological Agencyto its subscribers with compatible handsets.[20]This service is provided free of charge and messages are limited to those areas affected by each particular alert. These alerts have a unique ring tone so they can be easily distinguished from incoming calls or messages.

Civil protection system

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From 2014, under Civil Protection Law of Japan, Docomo began offering a service called the "Area Mail Disaster and Evacuation Information Service" which broadcastsJ-Alertmessages (including Earthquake Early Warning) produced by the Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency to its subscribers with compatible handsets (e.g. Sony XPERIA, iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy).[21]

The message is broadcast when threats are imminent (e.g. North Korea's ballistic missile launching, terrorist attack to nuclear power plant, volcanic eruptions, or an approaching tsunami.)

Mascot

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A large pile of Docomodake merchandise

Since 2005, the company's mascot is Docomodake, a mushroom, which is quite a celebrity in Japan. He is even the hero of aNintendo DSpuzzle and platforming video game,Boing! Docomodake DS,released in Japan, the North America and Europe.[22]He also has a wide variety ofmerchandisingsuch as cell phone straps, keychains, and plush dolls. As one type of advertising method, there are many types of Docomodakes such as Mother and Father, which symbolize the plans that NTT Docomo offers.

Emoji

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See also:Decome

Shigetaka Kurita,who was part of the team working on NTT DoCoMo'si-modemobile Internetplatform, that has been credited as the first creator ofemoji.[23]However,SoftBankreleased their emoji set on the DP-211SW mobile phone in 1997.[24]

Copyright ownership of an emoji typically belongs to the company or organization that created it. For example, the copyright for Apple's emoji designs belongs to Apple Inc. Similarly, the copyright for emoji used on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp belong to the respective companies.

Emoji are standardized through theUnicode Consortium,which sets standards for how emoji should look and what they should represent. However, individual companies and platforms can still design their own variations of emoji within those standards.

Investments outside Japan

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NTT DoCoMo stand at 2008 GSMA Mobile World Congress, Barcelona

NTT Docomo has a wide range of foreign investments. However, NTT Docomo was not successful in investing in foreign carriers. Docomo had invested very large multibillion-dollar amounts inKPN,KT Freetel,AT&T Wireless,and had to write-off sell all these investments in foreign carriers. As a result, Docomo booked a total of about US$10 billion in losses, while during the same time Docomo's Japan operations were profitable.

In December 2007, NTT Docomo andKT Freeteljointly invested US$200 million for a total of 33% stake inU MobileMalaysia.

In June 2008 NTT Docomo joined the non-profitSymbian Foundationled byNokiato co-develop a newSymbiansmartphone operating system based on theS60platform, which resulted in Symbian^2 for the Japanese market.[25]

In December 2006 they acquired Guamcell, the largest phone company inGuam,and changed its name toDOCOMO PACIFIC.

Docomo is working on implementing itsFeliCa-based payment system, called iD, overseas. It has already launched the system inGuam,as well as Shanghai and Beijing, China (however, as of November 2010, it has withdrawn iD terminals from all merchants in China).

Docomo Capital

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Working closely with NTT Docomo's business and R&D divisions,Docomo Capitalis in charge of NTT Docomo's venture investments in mobile related start-up companies, mainly in the United States and has committed $100M in capital. It has invested inCooliris,Couchbase,Evernote,Fab,HighlightCam,Swype,TuneWiki,andSigfox.[26]

Docomo Digital

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Docomo Digitalis the international payments business of NTT DOCOMO. DOCOMO Digital partners with carriers, merchants, OTT services, app stores and payment providers in both developed and emerging markets to facilitate direct carrier billing and other payments such ase-wallets.Sold to Bango plc August 2022.[1]

Hikari TV

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Hikari TV(ひかりTV)is a JapaneseIPTVservice. It was established on March 31, 2008, and was originally owned and operated by the internet service providerNTT Plala.[27]It launched Hikari TV Game, the firstcloud gamingservice for televisions in Japan, in 2013.[28]

On July 1, 2022, NTT Docomo absorbed and merged the operating company NTT Plala, and on the same day, this service was also incorporated into NTT DoCoMo's service.[29][30]Along with this, the rate plan for new subscribers was changed after the same day.[31]

Aside from offering access to varioustelevision channels,Hikari TV also produces its own content, primarily broadcast on theHikari TV Channel[ja].

Various problems and scandals

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Problems with installation and construction of base stations

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Both of these base stations were removed or relocated after the problem was discovered.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^As of October 1, 2013, the trade name was changed from "Kabushiki gaisha エヌ・ティ・ティ・ドコモ"to"Kabushiki gaisha NTTドコモ".[4]

References

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  1. ^"About NTT DOCOMO".Archivedfrom the original on 2017-09-11.Retrieved2017-09-11.
  2. ^abcde"NTT DOCOMO Group Financial Position and Results"(PDF).NTT DoCoMo.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2023-09-18.Retrieved2023-09-16.
  3. ^"NTT Docomo Integrated Report 2020"(PDF).NTT Docomo.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2023-09-18.Retrieved2023-09-16.
  4. ^"Hội xã の duyên cách".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-04-16.Retrieved2013-10-05.
  5. ^Friedman, Thomas(2006).The World Is Flat.New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. p. 197.ISBN9780374292799.
  6. ^"Headquarters LocationArchived2013-02-16 at theWayback Machine."NTT Docomo. Retrieved on March 7, 2010.
  7. ^"Number of subscribers by Carriers|TCA".Tca.or.jp.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-01-19.Retrieved2021-10-21.
  8. ^"Japan's NTT launches $40 billion buyout of wireless unit Docomo".Reuters.2020-09-29.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-04-11.Retrieved2021-03-28.
  9. ^ドコモ xã trưởng に sơn điền phó xã trưởng が thăng cách へ(in Japanese). 2008-04-19. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-04-22.Retrieved2008-04-18.
  10. ^"Japan's DoCoMo holds out to iPhone mania, but at what cost?".Archived fromthe originalon 2013-07-09.Retrieved2013-07-05.
  11. ^"NTT DoCoMo teams-up with McAfee to offer free malware protection for its Android users".intomobile.2011.Archivedfrom the original on 12 July 2011.Retrieved19 July2011.
  12. ^"NTT Docomo acquires Italy's Buongiorno".The Times of India.Archived fromthe originalon July 7, 2012.Retrieved2012-07-07.
  13. ^"The Associated Press: New Prototype Phone Gives Fitness Check".29 October 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 29 October 2007.Retrieved27 March2018.
  14. ^"ドコモとGoogleが dìu dắt ── các loại サービス の iモード đối ứng などを đẩy mạnh"(in Japanese). ITMedia+D モバイル.Archivedfrom the original on 2008-01-27.Retrieved2008-01-26.
  15. ^"YouTube, ドコモ の 904i/905iシリーズに đối ứng"(in Japanese). ITMedia+D モバイル.Archivedfrom the original on 2008-01-27.Retrieved2008-01-26.
  16. ^"Mobile leaders to unify the Symbian software platform and set the future of mobile free"(Press release).Nokia.24 June 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 25 March 2012.Retrieved2011-04-09.
  17. ^"Docomo 5G | About DOCOMO | NTT DOCOMO".Archivedfrom the original on 2019-05-12.Retrieved2019-05-12.
  18. ^"Docomo to launch Japan 5G services March 25, pipping SoftBank to post".18 March 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 19 March 2020.Retrieved18 March2020.
  19. ^Mingas, Melanie (2021-11-15)."From stratosphere to smartphone NTT DOCOMO trials solar-powered HAPS".Capacity.Capacity Media.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-11-15.Retrieved2021-11-15.
  20. ^"Area Mail Disaster Information Service".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-10-25.Retrieved2011-11-06.
  21. ^"Khẩn cấp tốc báo “エリアメール”, cập び “Khẩn cấp tốc báo メール” を lợi dụng した quốc dân bảo hộ に quan する tình báo の xứng tin を bắt đầu "(in Japanese).Archivedfrom the original on 2014-10-06.Retrieved2014-08-12.
  22. ^Bozon, Mark (11 March 2009)."Boing! Docomodake Review".ign.Archivedfrom the original on 21 October 2018.Retrieved27 March2018.
  23. ^Blagdon, Jeff (4 March 2013)."How emoji conquered the world".The Verge.Vox Media.Archivedfrom the original on 6 March 2013.Retrieved6 November2013.
  24. ^"Correcting the Record on the First Emoji Set".8 March 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 26 May 2023.Retrieved28 September2021.
  25. ^"First Symbian^2 phones ship in Japan".allaboutsymbian.Archivedfrom the original on 4 June 2010.Retrieved27 March2018.
  26. ^"About Docomo Capital".NTT Docomo Capital.Archivedfrom the original on January 6, 2015.RetrievedDecember 23,2014.
  27. ^"お biết らせ 2008 năm 0 ngày 31 tháng 3 |ひかりTV".hikaritv.net.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-08-08.Retrieved2022-05-22.
  28. ^"ゲーム chuyên dùng cơ không cần で lặc しめるクラウドゲーム “ひかりTVゲーム” を6 nguyệt に bắt đầu ".CNET Japan(in Japanese). 2013-04-17.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-10-01.Retrieved2022-06-12.
  29. ^"NTTぷらら, NTTドコモと の sự nghiệp thống hợp sau もサービスはほぼ kế 続 “dポイント” giao cho も ".ITmedia NEWS(in Japanese).Archivedfrom the original on 2022-06-14.Retrieved2022-07-22.
  30. ^"Đưa tin phát biểu tư liệu: ご lợi dụng liêu kim の お chi 払いでdポイントがたまる, tân たな “ひかりTV” の cung cấp を bắt đầu | お biết らせ | NTTドコモ ".docomo.ne.jp(in Japanese).Archivedfrom the original on 2022-06-27.Retrieved2022-07-22.
  31. ^"ひかりTV các loại サービス tên の 変 càng | 2022 năm | ひかりTV".hikaritv.net.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-07-01.Retrieved2022-07-22.
  32. ^"24366.html Docomo Kansai destroyed a burial mound in Ikeda City, Osaka, during construction of a steel tower".Archivedfrom the original on 2023-02-13.Retrieved2023-02-13.
  33. ^"article/news_toppage/29562.html DOCOMO Kansai unauthorized base station in Arashiyama, Kyoto".Archivedfrom the original on 2022-10-07.Retrieved2023-02-13.
  34. ^"article/news_toppage/40623.html Unauthorized docomo base station in national park to be removed".Archivedfrom the original on 2022-10-07.Retrieved2023-02-13.
  35. ^"Apology for installation of base stations in Unzen-Amakusa National Park".Archivedfrom the original on 2022-01-11.Retrieved2023-02-13.
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