Learning from i-mode [packet-based mobile network]

Amid all the hype and uncertainty surrounding the 'mobile Internet', there is one undeniable success story: NTT DoCoMo's i-mode service in Japan. A key factor in i-mode's success has been its construction on top of a packet-based mobile network. To the subscriber, i-mode is a new mobile service. They can make voice calls in the normal way, but a new range of services is also available through the screen, keypad and navigation buttons. To the operator, in this case NTT DoCoMo, i-mode provides a way to attract new users and increase telecommunications revenue. The latter comes from two sources: first, charges for data transmission on a per-packet basis; secondly, an entirely new source of income as a collector of payments on behalf of third party information providers. The i-mode concept brings together several different elements to create a successful formula.