Declaring that 3G would "write a new page for mobile communications in the 21st century,'" DoCoMo President Keiji Tachikawa formally launched the trial for a select group of 3,300 corporate and individual users, although another 1,200 will have to wait a month for the showcase video phone model.

"With the launch of 3G services we are adding features such as high-speed Internet access and video-conferencing,'' he told a group of business partners, customers and reporters.

The trial is a chance for DoCoMo to iron out any problems with the service ahead of its full launch in October, and is likely to be keenly watched by foreign carriers who have invested heavily in the still unproven technology.

Yoshihiro Fujita, 28, said that he was looking forward to showing off his sleek silver 3G phone, which boasts a bright color screen, folds in half and has no protruding antenna. The sound quality matches fixed line phones.

``It's pretty cool,'' said Fujita, who works at a software company. ``Everyone in my office applied for one but I was the only one who got one.''

DoCoMo Japan's top mobile operator with 62 percent of the market, received more than 147,000 applications for the trial service, the same number of subscribers that it expects to sign up by March 2002.

Although the rollout puts the firm well ahead of its global competitors, it was not the perfect launch DoCoMo was hoping for.

Users eager to get their hands on the futuristic video phone, which was meant to showcase 3G's ability to send and receive information six to 40 times faster than DoCoMo's existing 'i-mode' Net access service, will have to wait for another month while software glitches are fixed.

The delayed release of a planned allotment of 1,200 handsets with tiny video cameras comes after DoCoMo decided in mid-April to delay the full commercial launch of 3G by four months until October 1.

DoCoMo says that the early start, despite being a trial service, will give it valuable insight into generating profits from 3G, which it will market in Japan as FOMA (Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access).

The service lays down the gauntlet to carriers in Europe who have spent more than $100 billion buying licenses for 3G only to see their shares tumble by a half after investors lost confidence in their ability to generate returns on the massive investment.

Electronics giant NEC supplied the bulk of the base station network, which communicates with the 3G cell phones.

NEC also makes the standard Net-access folding handset, while Matsushita Communication makes the videophone and PC data card under the Panasonic brand.

"I haven't tried the phone yet, but I'd like to see how fast it can transmit,'' said Yasunori Yamashima, 29, who along with the other trial users will pay for transmission charges but will be waived the basic monthly fee.

But asked if it would change his lifestyle, Yamashima, who works for a printing company, said: "I don't know if it will change anything.''

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last updated: January 12, 2004

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