TOKYO, JAPAN, September 14, 2005 --- NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and its eight regional subsidiaries announced plans to offer an information-capture function, called ToruCa™ in the "Osaifu-Keitai" when compatible handsets are released this winter.
ToruCa will enable users to obtain information by simply waving their phones in front of dedicated reader/writers installed at restaurants, theaters, music stores, arcades and other establishments. For example, when a user buys a CD at a store using the "Osaifu-Keitai," they can simply wave their DoCoMo phone in front of the store's reader/writer to retrieve extra information about the CD, artist, etc., and possibly even a promotional coupon offered by the artist's recording label.
Information obtained from reader/writers will also be available at i-mode® sites. In addition, users will be able to perform customizable searches to receive the information they are looking for. The information will be exchangeable with other users of ToruCa-compatible phones.
There will be no basic fee for the information service. Users will only pay packet communications charges when obtaining information from i-mode sites.
"ToruCa" is a term coined from two Japanese words that denote "capture" and "card." In Japanese, "Toru" (pronounced "toe-roo") means capture and "Ca" (pronounced "kah") is the first sound of the word for card.
About NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo is the world's leading mobile communications company, serving more than 50 million customers. The company offers a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services, including i-mode®, which provides e-mail and Internet access to over 45 million subscribers as the world's most popular mobile Internet service, and FOMA®, launched in 2001 as the world's first 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA. In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe, North America and Asia, the company is expanding its global reach through strategic alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in Asia-Pacific and Europe.
NTT DoCoMo is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM) and New York (DCM) stock exchanges. For more information, visit
www.docomo.ne.jp/english.
i-mode, mova, and FOMA are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries.
ToruCa is a trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan.
NTT DoCoMo's FOMA service is only available to subscribers in Japan.
"Osaifu-Keitai" refers to mobile phones equipped with a contactless IC card for useful online functions/services such as electronic money, credit card payments, electronic ticketing, memberships, and more.
