NTT DOCOMO Company Brief











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Company Brief
NTT DOCOMO

by Brady Hicks

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

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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)


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.

Table 1. Core Businesses
Region Business Location Description
Americas NTT DOCOMO Brasil Servicos de Telecomunicacao Sao Paulo, Brazil Enterprise solutions and information gathering
NTT DOCOMO USA New York, NY, US Enterprise solutions and information gathering
DOCOMO Innovations Palo Alto, CA, US R&D
DCM Reinsurance Company Honolulu, HI, US Reinsurance business
Evernote Redwood City, CA, US Information storage service
Asia Pacific
NTT DOCOMO China Shanghai, China Enterprise solutions and information gathering
DOCOMO Beijing Communications Laboratories Beijing, China R&D
PLDT Manila, Philippines Mobile / fixed line operator
NTT DOCOMO Philippine Branch Manila, Philippines Advisory business
NTT DOCOMO ASIA Singapore Enterprise solutions and information gathering
KT Seoul, South Korea Mobile / fixed line operator
RSUPPORT Seoul, South Korea Remote solution business
FarEasTone Telecommunications Taipei, Taiwan Mobile operator
Mobile Innovation Bangkok, Thailand Platform business
VMG Media Joint Stock Company Hanoi, Vietnam Platform business
DOCOMO PACIFIC Guam Mobile / fixed line operator
Europe DOCOMO Communications Laboratories Europe Munich, Germany R&D
DOCOMO Digital London, England Platform business
DOCOMO Europe London, England ICT solutions for Japanese companies in Europe and surveys of European
mobile industry trends

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.

Table 2. Core Operations
Business Product / Service Line Description
Telecommunications business Mobile Communications Services LTE(Xi) services, FOMA services (3G), International services, Sales of
handset/equipment for each service
Optical-Fiber Broadband Service and Other Telecommunications Services Optical-fiber broadband service, Satellite communications service
Smart Life business Content / Lifestyle services "dTV", "d hits", "d shopping", "d fashion", "d travel", "d magazine", "d
photo", "d healthcare", "DAZN for docomo", "Oak Lawn Marketing, Inc.",
"Tower Records Japan Inc"
Finance / Payment services "d CARD", "d CARD mini", "iD","d Payment", "Proxy bill collection"
Other businesses Enterprises solutions Enterprise IoT solutions, System development/sales/maintenance services
Support services for customers’ peace of mind "Mobile Device Protection Service", "Anshin Remote Support"

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

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.

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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