Docomo introduces LTE technology to Japan

December 28th, 2010By Category: Uncategorized

NTT Docomo has been a pioneer of the mobile Internet not just in Japan, but across the world, services such as i-mode being the first to make the web accessible and useful on a small, mobile screen and allowing social games to take off in a big way (we also took a look back with the father of i-mode here). The company has now announced that it has launched Japan’s first LTE (Long Term Evolution) mobile service on December 24.

At launch, the service covers the major urban centers of Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, with plans to reach 70 percent of the Japanese population by March 2015.

So what does LTE bring to Docomo subscribers? Essentially an always-online connection for your phone that transfers data at vastly improved speeds. One example being touted is videophone without any lag. Once international roaming is added, Docomo phones will be able to tie into all kinds of cloud computing services that will enable users not only to see and talk to friends and family overseas but also access foreign internet services – removing the so-called galapagos syndrome of the Japanese cell-phone market.

In addition, NTT sees augmented-reality mobile services as someday revolutionizing the way people approach daily activities such as shopping and education. When buying furniture, for example, people might use an augmented-reality service to choose the best style and color of sofa. It will be as easy as pointing an LTE phone camera at a spot in the home and then viewing images of various sofas as they merge with the live image on the phone’s screen. If you are in Tokyo, you can get a taste of this now by visiting NTT Note.

In most outdoor areas, transmission speeds are up to 37.5 Mbps for downloads and 12.5 Mbps for uploads, but in heavily used indoor areas, such as the terminals at Haneda Airport, customers can enjoy up to 75 Mbps for downloads, approximately 10 times faster than Docomo’s current 3G service.

Over the next few years, Docomo will implement an aggressive plan to expand its LTE service which will be sold under the brand name ‘Xi’.

Author of this article

GaijinPot

GaijinPot is an online community for foreigners living in Japan, providing information on everything you need to know about enjoying life here, from finding a job and accommodation to having fun.

Related articles that may interest you

Comments

  • A laser is used instead of a scalpel, and patients are awake but
    anesthetized and given mild sedatives.  Lasik surgery can eliminate the
    need for corrective eyeglasses in many cases.  Like cataract surgery,
    lasik usually allows patients to leave shortly after the surgery,
    though they will likely be given antibiotics and need to follow certain
    instructions to ensure proper recovery.  Some of the instructions you
    may need to follow include sleeping more than usual and wearing dark
    glasses for a period of time.

  • p90x says:

    P90X will be your gym and health club for the next 90 days.The P90X Fitness Guide outlines the entire program dinmomnidzyc0603, shows you how to do each exercise with proper form, and teaches you how to customize P90X to reach your personal fitness goals

  • Johny says:

    rubbish = japan cell phone industry

Top