British mobile operator Hutchison 3 UK (3 UK) and
Japanese wireless giant NTT DoCoMo are poised to offer the world's
first 3G mobile broadband service between their home markets at the
start of next month.
The service will allow customers of both carriers to make video
phone calls between the UK and Japan at an initial speed of 64Kbps,
DoCoMo said.
Video calls from Japan to the UK will cost ¥72 (45p) for 10
seconds, according to the Tokyo-based carrier, which has been
offering its Foma 3G service in Japan since October 2001.
Calls from the UK to Japan will cost £1.50 per minute and £2 per
minute for roaming calls made from other 3G networks.
By comparison, a voice call made from a 3 UK mobile phone to
Japan costs 80p a minute.
Earlier this year, 3 UK became the first mobile operator in
Europe to offer commercial 3G service but has been slow to
penetrate the fiercely competitive UK mobile phone market, forcing
it to discount some services to gain market share.
The company, which is 20% owned by DoCoMo, is a member of
Hutchison Whampoa. The Hong Kong conglomerate owns wireless
operators in several countries in the Asia Pacific region and
Europe.
In addition to the Japanese service slated for next month, 3 UK
customers can now make video phone calls to customers of the
group's wireless subsidiaries in Austria, Italy, Sweden and
Australia.
Calls to these markets also cost £1.50 per minute.
Regular voice calls made with mobile phones to these markets, by
comparison, cost 20p.
John Blau writes for IDG News Service