Increasing NTT DoCoMo's reach outside Japan, the Japanese carrier has partnered with Motorola to build a 3G FOMA phone that also does GSM/GPRS.
NTT DoCoMo and Motorola announced today that they have signed an agreement to jointly develop a 3G FOMA handset targeting business users by taking advantage of high-speed 3G FOMA technologies. The new handset will also be compatible with GSM/GPRS technology, making it the first FOMA model that may be used outside of Japan. FOMA is the name of DoCoMo's proprietary 3G network in Japan.
Unlike i-mode-capable phones, the handset will enable access to the Internet through mopera or any other available Internet connection service. Its browser will be able to display standard web pages in addition to i-mode or WAP pages.
The still-unnamed handset will also be compatible with public wireless LAN services offered by DoCoMo and other providers, enabling users in hotspots to use high-speed Internet access at fixed rates. This move comes just as DoCoMo has also announced a partnership to offer wireless LAN roaming around the world via iPass. It will also be able to view e-mail attachments in Microsoft Office format and store PIM data. Bluetooth connectivity will also be available, bringing its total connection options up to an amazing four; 3G FOMA, GSM/GPRS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
Specific details about the phone, which has yet to actually be designed, are not yet available. It is expected to become commercially available sometime in the spring of 2005.
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