Tokyo, Hong Kong, 25 June, 2003 - Hutchison Whampoa Limited and NTT DoCoMo, Inc. today announced that the two companies have agreed on further details regarding the agreement they concluded on 23 April, 2003 to cooperate on the development and promotion of third-generation services, based on W-CDMA technology.
According to the terms of the agreement, Hutchison Whampoa and NTT DoCoMo will collaborate on the following areas:
Handsets
Share information on handset development and determine common specifications for handsets.
Standards
Concentrate on development of global third-generation standards through 3GPP and the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA).
International Roaming
Align standards, to test and implement seamless international voice and data roaming.
Radio Technology
Conduct joint studies of each party's approach to radio network development and deployment.
Hutchison Whampoa Group Managing Director Canning Fok said, "We are very pleased to be extending our close partnership with NTT DoCoMo. Through this closer collaboration, we are aiming to strengthen our ability to influence the future of the mobile communications industry. These agreements are based on clear business deliverables, common goals and are for the mutual benefit of both businesses."
NTT DoCoMo Senior Executive Vice President Shiro Tsuda said, "It is significant that NTT DoCoMo and Hutchison 3G, the world's leading operators of W-CDMA-based 3G services, kick off their collaborative efforts for the further development of 3G."
About Hutchison Whampoa Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL), one of the largest companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, is the holding company of the Hutchison Whampoa Group of companies. As one of the earliest big "hongs", or trading companies, in Hong Kong, Hutchison's history dates back to the 1800s. Today, HWL is a multinational conglomerate with businesses spanning 41 countries. With over 150,000 employees worldwide, Hutchison operates and invests in five core businesses: ports and related services; telecommunications; property and hotels; retail and manufacturing; and energy and infrastructure.
Its flagship companies include Hutchison Port Holdings, Hutchison Telecom, Hutchison Whampoa Properties, A. S. Watson, and Cheung Kong Infrastructure. In 2002, HWL's consolidated revenue was HK$111,129 million (US$14,247 million).
The Group is also a leading player in 3G mobile multi-media telecom operation with licenses in a total of nine markets: Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Sweden and the UK. Hutchison's 3G services, under the brand "3", have already been rolled out in the UK, Italy, Australia, Austria and Sweden.
For more information, please visit www.hutchison-whampoa.com
About NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo is the world's leading mobile communications company with more than 46 million customers. The company provides a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services. These include , the world's most popular mobile internet service, which provides e-mail and internet access to over 38 million subscribers, and , launched in 2001 as the world's first 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA. In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe and North and South America, the company is expanding its global reach through strategic alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North and South America.
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 and FOMA are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTT DoCoMo,Inc. in Japan and other countries.