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Company Brief
NTT DOCOMO

by Brady Hicks

Copyright 2021, Faulkner Information Services. All Rights Reserved.

Docid: 00017808

Publication Date: 2101

Report Type: VENDOR

Preview

NTT DOCOMO is a Japanese mobile services provider with more than 79 million
customers (2021) in Japan. The company – which offers a nationwide LTE network,
progressive LTE-Advanced presence, 5G capabilities, and assets in fields such as NFV (network functions virtualization), among other areas – operates in core regions
such as the Americas, Asia, and Europe. This
brief examines NTT DOCOMO’s operations in greater detail.

Report Contents:

• Fast Facts
• History
• Key Executives
• Major Products
• Major Competitors
• Recent Activity

Fast Facts

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Name: NTT DOCOMO
Headquarters
Sanno Park Tower
11-1, Nagata-cho 2-chome
Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo
100-6150 Japan
Phone: +81-3-5156-1111
Web: http://www.nttdocomo.com/
Founded: 1991
Type: Wireless Communications Provider
Service Areas: Japan and select overseas locations
Stock: 9437 (TYSE) ; DCMYY (NYSE)

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History

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NTT DOCOMO is Japan’s largest mobile services provider with more than 79
million customers (2021) in Japan alone. The company maintains a nationwide LTE network and one
of the most progressive LTE-Advanced networks in the world, and is also a top
developer of 5G networks, NFV (network functions virtualization), and other technology. DOCOMO provides
driving innovation in NFC (near field communication) infrastructure and
services, emerging IoT technology, and other mobile-related initiatives. Outside
of Japan, NTT provides technical and operational expertise to mobile operators
and other partner companies, and contributes to the global standardization of
new mobile technology.

NTT DOCOMO divides its operations into three core businesses:

• Telecommunications – Mobile Communications Services,
  Optical-Fiber Broadband Service, and Other Telecommunications Services
• Smart Life – Content / Lifestyle Services and Finance / Payment
  Services
• "Other" – Enterprise Solutions and Support Services for
  customers’ peace of mind

Additionally, the Japanese company has a presence in the Americas, Asia, and Europe, with businesses
that are detailed in Table 1.

The company was established in August 1991 as NTT Mobile Communications
Planning. Other noteworthy events in the firm’s past include:

• 1992 – NTT Mobile Communications Network takes over the mobile
  communications business of the reorganizing Nippon Telegraph and Telephone
  Corporation (NTT).
• 1993 – Launches mova 2G (800MHz) digital cellular phone service.
• 1994 – Creates CITYPHONE 1.5GHz digital cellular phone service in
  urban areas.
• 1997 – Rolls out the DoPa packet-data communications service.
• 1998 – Is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange … Takes over NTT
  Personal Group’s Personal Handyphone System business.
• 1999 – Introduces the i-mode mobile Internet-services platform.
• 2000 – Changes its name to NTT DoCoMo.
• 2001 – Establishes the 3G FOMA service on a commercialized basis.
• 2002 – Lists on the London and New York stock exchanges.
• 2005 – Unveils its iD credit brand.
• 2006 – Launches the DCMX mobile credit-card service.
• 2008 – Announces its merger with eight regional subsidiaries and
  rebrands corporation.
• 2010 – Rolls out the Xi LTE service.
• 2012 – Shifts its customer base completely to 3G and LTE
  services.
• 2013 – Changes its official name to NTT DOCOMO, INC.
• 2014 – Delists from the London Stock Exchange.
• 2018 – Works with Huawei to complete a trial toward
  IAB (Integrated Access Backhaul) technology using the 39GHz mmWave
  (millimeter Wave) band … With NEC, achieves a 28GHz wireless transmission
  between a 5G base station and 5G mobile station.
• 2019 – Teams with Fujitsu, NEC, and Nokia to achieve multi-vendor
  interoperability across 4G and 5G base station equipment that is
  compatible with O-RAN Alliance standards … Enlists in the 5G Alliance
  for Connected Industries and Automation  … Allows Fujitsu to deploy base station products to
  support 5G mobile communications system commercialization.
• 2020 – Conducts a
  trial with MobiledgeX to verify technology that leverages multi-access edge
  computing … Names Senior EVP, Motoyuki Ii as President and CEO.

Key Executives

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Prominent NTT DOCOMO executives include:

• President and CEO: Motoyuki Ii
• Senior Executive VPs: Seiji Maruyama, Takashi Hiroi, Hozumi
  Tamura, Mayumi Tateishi
• Executive VPs: Michio Fujiwara

Major Products

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NTT DOCOMO divides its operations into three core operations:
telecommunications, smart life, and "other," as detailed in Table 2.

Global Presence

NTT DOCOMO continues to expand its global portfolio of
offices, wholly-owned subsidiaries, capital investments,
business partnerships, and service alliances, as illustrated
in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Global Presence

Source: NTT DOCOMO

Major Competitors

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NTT DOCOMO’s top competitors include wireless
telephone and data service providers, mobile virtual network operators, and
mobile phone network operators such as KDDI and SoftBank, as well as global
mobile content providers such as Apple and Google.

• Apple: http://www.apple.com/
• Google: http:///www.google.com/
• KDDI: http://www.kddi.com/english/
• SoftBank: http://www.softbank.jp/en/

Recent Activity

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Recent activity of note for NTT DOCOMO has included:

• December 2020 – Teams with Qualcomm to commercialize 5G sub-6GHz
  carrier aggregation in Japan … Announced new President and CEO, Motoyuki
  Ii, among other executives.
• November – Signed a licensing agreement with Tokushu Kogaku Jushi
  to manufacture advanced lenses for DOCOMO VR headsets.
• Octrober – Introduces the 5G X-Border Platform, for connecting
  the DOCOMO Open Innovation Cloud platform with 5G networks oversees.
• September– Expands multi-vendor interoperability with NEC,
  interconnecting a new 5G base station baseband unit with 5G base station
  remote radio units … They also achieve carrier aggregation using 5G
  frequency bands in a multi-vendor RAN (radio access network) … Resolves to
  appoint new Representative Directors and EVPs … Launches an inbound 5G
  roaming service to allow foreign operators and their customers visiting
  Japan to roam DOCOMO’s 5G network, including, initially, AT&T.
• June – Announces new Directors, Corporate Officers, and Audit &
  Supervisory Committee members.
• May – Names Motoyuki Ii as Senior EVP.
• March– Launches its 5G mobile communications service on a
  commercial basis, in Japan.
• February – Established a business partnership with Mercari to
  develop new businesses and provide enhanced payment services and point
  programs.

About the Author

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Brady Hicks is an
editor with Faulkner Information Services. He writes about computer and
networking hardware, software, communications networks and equipment, and the
Internet.

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