The number of subscribers to NTT DoCoMo’s third-generation (3G) cellular telephone service hit 30 million Saturday.The figure was reached just a little more than five years since NTT DoCoMo launched the service, which is branded “Foma” in Japan. On Oct. 1, 2001, the company became the first carrier in the world to commercialize wideband code division multiple access technology.Subscriptions to Foma have been gaining pace as NTT DoCoMo phases out second-generation handsets and offers new features and services on 3G models only.In addition to telephony, Internet access and other features now common on cell phones, the latest handsets can act as electronic wallets holding credit card and e-money payment applications that can be used to make purchases in shops with compatible terminals. Some models also include digital TV tuners and music players. NTT DoCoMo has had more 3G subscribers than 2G subscribers since the middle of this year, and looking ahead it is pumping its yen into building up the 3G network. By the end of March 2007, the company intends to have increased the number of 3G base stations by 50 percent on the number in March 2006, and it’s also rolling out a high-speed data service based on high-speed downlink packet access.-Martyn Williams, IDG News Service (Tokyo Bureau) Related Links: NTT DoCoMo Draws 860K to Phone Credit Card Service NTT DoCoMo, Intel to Let Users Set OS on Cell PhonesCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost The steep cost of a poor data management strategy Without a data management strategy, organizations stall digital progress, often putting their business trajectory at risk. Here’s how to move forward. By Jay Limbasiya, Global AI, Analytics, & Data Management Business Development, Unstructured Data Solutions, Dell Technologies Jun 09, 2023 6 mins Data Management feature How Capital One delivers data governance at scale With hundreds of petabytes of data in operation, the bank has adopted a hybrid model and a ‘sloped governance’ framework to ensure its lines of business get the data they need in real-time. By Thor Olavsrud Jun 09, 2023 6 mins Data Governance Data Management feature Assessing the business risk of AI bias The lengths to which AI can be biased are still being understood. The potential damage is, therefore, a big priority as companies increasingly use various AI tools for decision-making. By Karin Lindstrom Jun 09, 2023 4 mins CIO Artificial Intelligence IT Leadership brandpost Rebalancing through Recalibration: CIOs Operationalizing Pandemic-era Innovation By Kamal Nath, CEO, Sify Technologies Jun 08, 2023 6 mins CIO Digital Transformation Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe