AfterDawn: News

Nokia to start Japanese mobile phone service

According to a Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun report, Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone maker, is planning to launch its own mobile phone service in Japan next spring.

The move, if true, will intensify the already tight competition of cell phone carriers in Japan.



Nokia is "expected to use lines owned by Japan's biggest mobile phone carrier, NTT Docomo Inc, under an arrangement called mobile virtual network operator," added the paper.

The service will first be offered with high-end models in order to "establish a strong brand."

Despite being the biggest handset maker in the world, Nokia has only a 1 percent market share in Japan.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 22 Nov 2008 17:12

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• 3 comments

• kyo28

  They'll have a hard time gaining market share. There are already three big operators in Japan who eat up the market (Softbank, AU and Docomo).
  
  Moreover, Nokia phones don't cater to the needs of Japanese consumers. mobile phones made by brands such as Sharp, Toshiba and the likes appeal much more to Japanese consumers.
  
  So unless Nokia launches a completely new, adapted lineup of mobile phones as well as service plans that are competitive, I don't see them getting far with this.

  24.11.2008 03:50 #1

• equisuser

  I just read a note on todays newspaper that nokia definitively will be out of the business from Japan, thay cannot offer phones like the japs want.....
  
  Regards,
  X

  27.11.2008 12:32 #2

• plazma247

  Lets hope they get a legal download service this time, unlike the did some where else :-p

  2.12.2008 06:12 #3