O2 confirms i-mode deal
- Added:
- Nov 30, 2004
O2 plans to introduce the service in the UK and Ireland during the second half of 2005. In Germany, the service will be offered from Spring 2006.
i-mode enables users to send e-mail, chat, play games, download ring tones and access content from more than 70,000 mobile websites.
i-mode was launched in Japan in 1999, where it now has more than 43 million subscribers. DoCoMo has already formed partnerships with carriers in 10 other European countries including Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
However, in Europe, DoCoMo has struggled to compete with the rival Vodafone Live! Service.
Under the terms of the agreement, O2 is licensed by DoCoMo to offer i-mode to the 22 million customers of its 2/2.5G and 3G networks.
i-mode will be available on a range of handsets and devices from Asian, European and US manufacturers, including NEC, Panasonic, Siemens Motorola and Samsung.
In addition to its 800 retail outlets in the three countries, mmO2 has the right to sell the i-mode service and handsets through its existing independent retail channels.
Peter Erskine, chief executive officer of mmO2 plc, said: “Following the recent success of i-mode elsewhere in Europe and its growing subscriber base, we have conducted a thorough evaluation of the opportunities offered by licensing this technology.”
**Related**
"O2 poised for mobile Net deal":http://www.netimperative.com/2004/11/25/O2_Internet_deal
"i-mode wants UK partner":http://www.netimperative.com/2004/05/28/imode_wants_UK_partner
