i-mode
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NTT DoCoMo's i-mode is a mobile internet (as opposed to wireless internet) service popular in Japan. Unlike Wireless Application Protocol, i-mode encompasses a wider variety of internet standards, including web access, e-mail and the packet-switched network that delivers the data. i-mode users have access to various services such as e-mail, sports results, weather forecast, games, financial services and ticket booking. Content is provided by specialized services, typically from the mobile carrier, which allows them to have tighter control over billing.
Like WAP, i-mode delivers only those services that are specifically converted for the service, or are converted through gateways. This has placed both systems at a disadvantage against handsets that use "real" browser software, and generally use a flat pricing structure for data. Even i-mode's creator, Takeshi Natsuno, has stated "I believe the iPhone (a phone that uses the traditional TCP/IP model) is closer to the mobile phone of the future, compared with the latest Japanese mobile phones."[1]
Description
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Mobile_Web_Standards_Evolution_Vector.svg/370px-Mobile_Web_Standards_Evolution_Vector.svg.png)
In contrast with the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) standard, which used Wireless Markup Language (WML) on top of a protocol stack for wireless handheld devices, i-mode borrows from fixed Internet data formats such as C-HTML based on HTML, as well as DoCoMo proprietary protocols ALP (HTTP) and TLP (TCP, UDP).
i-mode phones have a special i-mode button for the user to access the start menu. There are more than 12,000 official sites and around 100,000 or more unofficial i-mode sites, which are not linked to DoCoMo's i-mode portal page and DoCoMo's billing services. NTT DoCoMo supervises the content and operations of all official i-mode sites, most of which are commercial. These official sites are accessed through DoCoMo's i-mode menu but in many cases official sites can also be accessed from mobile phones by typing the URL or through the use of QR code (a barcode).
An i-mode user pays for both sent and received data. There are services to avoid unsolicited e-mails. The basic monthly charge is typically on the order of JPY ¥200 - ¥300 for i-mode not including the data transfer charges, with additional charges on a monthly subscription basis for premium services. A variety of discount plans exist, for example family discount and flat packet plans for unlimited transfer of data at a fixed monthly charge (on the order of ¥4,000/month).
History
i-mode was launched in Japan on 22 February 1999. The content planning and service design team was led by Mari Matsunaga, while Takeshi Natsuno was responsible for the business development. Top executive Keiichi Enoki oversaw the technical and overall development. A few months after DoCoMo launched i-mode in February 1999, DoCoMo's competitors launched very similar mobile data services: KDDI launched EZweb, and J-Phone launched J-Sky. Vodafone later acquired J-Phone including J-Sky, renaming the service Vodafone live!, although initially this was different from Vodafone live! in Europe and other markets. In addition, Vodafone KK was acquired by SoftBank, an operator of Yahoo! Japan in October, 2006 and changed the name to SoftBank Mobile. As of June 2006, the mobile data services KDDI, EZweb, and J-Sky, had over 80 million subscribers in Japan.
The current[when?] i-mode center is called CiRCUS, which consists of 400 NEC NX7000 HP-UX servers and occupies 4,600 m² floor space in DoCoMo's Kawasaki office. The operation support system is called CARNiVAL, which is hosted in the Sanno Park Tower.
Markets
As of 31 October 2011, i-mode (including i-mode for smartphone subscribers) has 51.6 million customers in Japan and over 5 million in the rest of the world. i-mode is being provided worldwide through DoCoMo's partners through a licensing scheme[2] involving mobile operators in the following countries:
- Australia (Telstra, phased out)
- Belgium (Base, phased out)
- Bulgaria (Globul, phased out)
- France (Bouygues Télécom, phased out)
- Germany (E-Plus, phased out)
- Greece (Cosmote, phased out)
- Hong Kong (3, still operating)
- Israel (Cellcom, abandoned in favor of a 3G network solution)
- Ireland (O2, phased out)
- Italy (Wind, phased out)
- Netherlands (KPN, phased out)
- Russia (MTS, phased out)
- Romania (Cosmote Romania, phased out)
- Singapore (StarHub, still operating)
- Spain (Telefónica, phased out)
- Taiwan (Far East Tone, still operating)
- UK (O2, phased out)
The worldwide partnership is called the i-mode Alliance.
On 18 July 2007, Telstra[3] and O2[4] announced that they were dropping support for i-mode services. Low subscriber numbers were cited as reasons, as was lack of support from some vendors.
The next day, KPN in the Netherlands also announced that it will no longer be launching new i-mode services or mobile phones geared towards i-mode support.[5] Low subscriber numbers were cited as the main reason. i-mode services will continue to be offered, letting the services phase out naturally; The i-mode mobile banking service by the Postbank was also stated to continue to be offered, despite minimal use of the service by subscribers.
Mobile TeleSystems (MTS, Russia) launched their i-mode service in 2005,[6] but a new CEO immediately scaled back plans for a widespread rollout stating "This is not a good situation for MTS ... I do not see any future for it."[7] They stopped selling i-mode capable phones in late-2007 and started rolling back services since 20 February 2008.
E-Plus, the KPN-owned German mobile operator, ended its i-mode service on 1 April 2008.[8]
O2's i-mode service ended on 31 July 2009.[9]
Cosmote ended its i-mode service in Greece, and its subsidiaries Globul in Bulgaria and Cosmote Romania in Romania, on 1 April 2010.[10]
Though StarHub continues using its i-mode service along with its WAP data plans in Singapore, it no longer sell anymore i-mode exclusive phones and all new phones sold by StarHub supports both i-mode and WAP.
Devices
This article is missing information about Many devices are missing, references are not given, introduction is very bad written.(February 2009) |
Some typical features include the "clamshell" model with large displays (240x320 pixels) and in many models, a display on either side. Additionally the phones have many extra features, e.g. a megapixel digital camera. The displays normally have 65,536 colors but the newest models have as many as 262,144 colors.
- FOMA SA800i[11]
- LG KE390i
- LG L343i
- LG L852i (PRADA)[12]
- Mitsubishi M342i
- Motorola RAZR V3xx with i-mode
- Motorola SLVR L7 i-mode
- Motorola SLVR L6 i-mode
- NEC N22i
- NEC N343i[13]
- NEC 411i[14]
- Nokia N70 i-mode
- Nokia N95i[15]
- Nokia 6120 classic
- Nokia 6124 classic
- Samsung S400i[16]
- Samsung S500i[17]
- Samsung Z320i[18]
- Sony Ericsson K550im[19]
- Sony Ericsson K610im[20]
- Fujitsu F905i (one of the very few Japanese i-mode phones to be sold outside Japan)
See also
References
- ^ Toshiyuki Oomori, "iPhone Sheds Light on Weakness of Japanese Handset Makers", Nikkei Electronics, 15 August 2008
- ^ "Global Expansion". NTT DoCoMo. Retrieved 2006-06-10.
- ^ Australian IT: Telstra kills off i-mode
- ^ Kevin J. O'Brien (July 17, 2007). "A forerunner to mobile internet, i-mode is fading in Europe". International Herald-tribune. New York Times. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
- ^ KPN laat i-mode stille dood sterven
- ^ "Mobile TeleSystems OJSC Launches i-mode Services in Russia", NTT DoCoMo, 15 September 2005
- ^ Weekly i-mode Business Newsletter, 06.10.29"
- ^ "E-Plus kills i-mode service". The Register. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
- ^ Support - O2
- ^ "MGlobul i-mode stop from 1 April", pari.bg, 31 March 2010
- ^ DoCoMo Introduces New 3G Kids Phone | Wireless Watch Japan
- ^ DoCoMo Scores PRADA Phone by LG | Wireless Watch Japan
- ^ imode phones | i-mode phone reviews and comparisons
- ^ imode phones | i-mode phone reviews and comparisons
- ^ [1]
- ^ imode phones | i-mode phone reviews and comparisons
- ^ imode phones | i-mode phone reviews and comparisons
- ^ imode phones | i-mode phone reviews and comparisons
- ^ Xperia™ Smartphones from Sony - Sony Smartphones (UK)
- ^ [2]