GPS and TV lined up for KDDI users
May 24, 2005 - source: BWCS
Japanese telecoms operator KDDI said that it plans to start selling location-enabled 3G phones with mobile TV facilities next month. According to recent reports in the Japanese financial daily the Nihon Keizai Shimbum, the company will offer three handsets with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology built in, allowing the user to see his or her location displayed on a screen in front of them.
The company will also start offering two new mobile phone models equipped with TV-tuners. These will allow KDDI customers to view conventional analogue TV broadcasts and record songs. The company indicated that the prices for these new handsets will be relatively low at between Yen10,000 and Yen25,000.
KDDI is the second largest mobile phone company in Japan behind the giant NTT DoCoMo. It clearly hopes that these new terminals will help it close the gap on its rival slightly and enable it to increase revenues. .
Around 92% of customers to KDDI's mobile subsidiary, au, are already using 3G handsets. This compares favourably to the 25% of DoCoMo's subscriber base who have made the switch.
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