DoCoMo's entry to set off race for mobile applications

'Osaifu-Keitai', 'Imadoco' may become Indian cell-phone user's rage.

Thomas K. Thomas

New Delhi, Nov 12 Mobile applications such as 'Imadoco' and 'Osaifu-Keitai' could become Indian rage soon.

The first one is a service that allows you to know the exact location of your friends and family using GPS on mobile phone, the latter is a mobile commerce platform.

While most Indians use mobile phones for talking or texting, NTT DoCoMo's entry, at a time when the country is on the verge of rolling out 3G services, could trigger a new phase of mobile applications and services.

The Japanese company, which has become a global rage with its services and data applications under the brand i-mode, is expected to share its expertise in developing consumer-friendly applications with Tata Telservices for the Indian market.

Docomo applications

Here are some samples of what could come to India from the DoCoMo's stable (acronym for Do Communications Over the Mobile Network.) i-Mode has an application called imadoco, which is a GPS-based facility allowing subscribers to know the location of family and friends at any given point in time.

There is another service called 2D barcode which enables subscribers to create barcodes containing personal data or company Web site URL.

So you can create a barcode containing your name, phone number, e-mail address, and print the barcode right onto your business card.

Then, your clients can scan the barcode with their camera phones and save your data instantaneously. Or you could subscribe to 'Osaifu-Keitai' which refers to mobile phones equipped with contactless IC card.

Many uses for mobiles

With this function, mobile phones can be utilised as electronic money, credit card, electronic ticket, membership card, airline ticket, and more. The company also has a whole range of mobile handsets that enables video, gaming and entertainment applications.

Before i-mode burst onto the scene on February 22, 1999, Japan was in the slow lane of the Internet revolution.

But after the launch of i-mode, NTT DoCoMo became Japan's biggest Internet service provider. Coincidently, the Japanese telecom major's entry into India comes at a time when the country's Internet and broadband growth has been sluggish.

While 70 million mobile users are accessing Internet on their mobile phones, operators are not getting more than 10 per cent of their revenues from data services.

The poor uptake is due to the lack of interesting applications and non-availability of spectrum.

While 3G spectrum, to be auctioned next year, will take care of the bandwidth issue, NTT DoCoMO could trigger a race among operators to offer non-voice services to consumers

Source: H B L