KDDI and Hitachi to develop e-wallet 3G handsets

December 13, 2003

The Japanese mobile operator KDDI will develop 3G mobile phones with Hitachi that makes use of contactless smart card technologies from Sony. Mobile handsets equipped with Sony's FeliCa contactless card technology, which would transform a mobile phone into an e-wallet, could be out in the market by the latter half of 2004.

KDDI and Hitachi plan to launch a trial wireless e-commerce service in the first half of next year that would lead to commercialisation of the service.

Sony's FeliCa technology has been deployed in the Suica automated ticketing system operated by East Japan Railway. In the future, KDDI plans to allow its customers using the new handsets to go through ticket gates. KDDI and JR East are already conducting tests.

KDDI's new smart-card equipped handsets will eventually incorporate credit card functions and can also be used as electronic wallets. Customers can deposit funds on their handsets via KDDI's EZweb mobile Internet service.

The smart cards are removable and therefore users will be able to continue using the smart cards even after changing their mobile handsets.

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