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TOKYO, JAPAN, December 17, 2009 --- NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced today that in preparation for the start of extra-high-speed LTE mobile service, it is deploying new W-CDMA base stations equipped with newly developed remote radio equipment (RRE) units to provide both existing W-CDMA and forthcoming LTE service.

The RRE-equipped base stations will account for about half of the initial LTE base stations when DOCOMO becomes one of world's first operators to launch an LTE service in December 2010.

The deployment is a part of DOCOMO's initial plan to layer a 2GHz LTE network over its existing 3G network to provide dual W-CDMA/LTE service, which will combine the benefits of LTE's high transmission speeds with 3G's wide-area coverage as the LTE network is expanded gradually.

The new RRE (also known as remote radio head) allows the relatively easy and efficient installation of LTE base stations to existing W-CDMA base stations (see diagrams below). Compared to existing equipment, it also helps to lower operational costs thanks to its reduced weight, size and energy consumption.

The RRE-equipped base station comprises a master unit for signal processing and maintenance functions and the RRE for modulating and demodulating both W-CDMA and LTE signals transmitted and received via antenna. The two are linked by optical fiber.

RRE-equipped Base Stations

About NTT DOCOMO

NTT DOCOMO is the world's leading mobile operator and provider of advanced mobile services. The company serves over 55 million customers in Japan, including 48 million using i-mode™, the world's most popular mobile e-mail/Internet platform, and 51 million using FOMA™, the world's original 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA. As a leader in the development of cutting-edge mobile technologies, DOCOMO is continually expanding the role of mobile phones as versatile and highly personalized "lifestyle tools" for everyday life, including with a wide range of innovative services for mobile payments, GPS, mobile TV, multimedia content and much more. 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.