NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s largest provider of mobile phone service by market share, on Thursday announced a partnership with Hutchison Telecommunications, another mobile phone service provider, to launch DoCoMo’s mobile i-mode Web access service in Hong Kong and Macau, Asia Times Online reports.
The two firms will share technologies, product knowledge and patents to make the i-mode service available by December wherever Hutchison’s second- and third-generation mobile phones function, according to Asia Times Online.
Hutchison may eventually offer a mobile-based payment service like the one currently available from DoCoMo, via smartcards, Asia Times Online reports.
DoCoMo holds a 22 percent stake in Hong Kong-based Hutchison, and after the i-mode service debuts in Hong Kong and Macau, it will be available in 24 countries and regions, according to Asia Times Online.
DoCoMo has in recent days made a number of moves to expand its i-mode customer base and move into additional market areas. In early May, DoCoMo announced its plans to offer a music download service, in order to better position it for competition with rival mobile phone service provider KDDI, which offers a similar service.
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