WW-83

======================================================================
J@pan Inc presents the Wireless Watch Japan Newsmagazine:

W I R E L E S S W A T C H J A P A N LITE

Commentary on the Business of Wireless in Japan
======================================================================

Issue No. 83 (Lite Version)
Tuesday, December 2, 2002
Tokyo

+++ Noteworthy News
--> J-Phone's Japan 3G Launch Tests Water for Vodafone
--> PUSHING THE ENVELOPE: Tapping into the future of wireless
--> Cybird Chief Honored by Time Magazine
--> Small CCD, Signal Processing Chip Keys to Thinner Cell Phones

+++ Events
>>> 3GMOBILE WORLD FORUM 2003
14-17 January 2003, Tokyo, Japan
>>> TPC, ICA, Code-J Xmas 2002 Party
Friday, December 6, La Boheme in Shirogane-dai

+++ Subscriber Statistics, Corrections, Credits, Administrivia

============================ADVERTISEMENT=============================
WWJ has Web, email, and streaming video promo slots available for a
limited number of sponsors!

143,087 video minutes/month
3,280 subscribers in Japan, Europe, and North America
No. 1 channel for promoting your company, product, or service

"We Rip the Faceplate Off Japan's Wireless Industry"
http://www.wirelesswatchjapan.com/media.htm
======================================================================

+++ Noteworthy News
(Long URLs may break across two lines so copy to your browser.)

--> J-Phone's Japan 3G Launch Tests Water for Vodafone
http://www.forbes.com/technology/newswire/2002/11/30/rtr810014.html
Source: Reuters on Forbes.com, Nov. 30

EXTRACT: After twice delaying a planned launch, Japan's J-Phone is finally set
to start commercial 3G services this month, testing the water for British parent
Vodafone Group. Japan's third-largest mobile operator is expected to offer
international roaming from the start to give itself a competitive edge over its
two main rivals, who already offer 3G services, but in general it aims to build
up services gradually, analysts say. "Market expectations for the service are
very low," said Bruce Kirk, an equity research director at KBC Securities. "I
don't think we will see a full commercial service for at least another 12
months...The launch will be a very small sparkler rather than a firework."

COMMENTARY: Japan will become the first market anywhere with three competing 3G
operators providing three different 3G systems (two of which are W-CDMA-based) -
only Korea, with its mix of CDMA 1X/1X EV-DO carriers, offers anything
comparable. Matthew Nicholson, from J-Phone PR, said, "Our users have been
telling us they are not completely satisfied with current 2G services."

He adds that J-Phone customers want to use their phones abroad as well as at
home. "With our 3G commercial service, we are aiming to meet these needs by
offering a truly international service that conforms to 3GPP standards. Of
course, J-Phone is also working on videophone services, mobile commerce
services, and other services that are mentioned as becoming possible with 3G
networks." He specifically mentioned that with 3G, J-Phone users "will be able
to roam in major destinations using W-CDMA/GSM dual-mode handsets - or, in the
case of single mode handsets, by taking the SIM card out and placing it into
another handset."

Nicholson also said that mobile users from overseas who visit Japan will
eventually be able to roam on the J-Phone network here via "plastic roaming;"
they need merely remove the SIM card from their handset and place it into a
rental phone to roam on J-Phone's W-CDMA system (he mentioned this service is
not yet in place and didn't offer a timeline for deployment).

----------------------------------

--> PUSHING THE ENVELOPE: Tapping into the future of wireless
communication
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fl20021201a3.htm
Source: The Japan Times, Dec. 1

EXTRACT: In late 2001, domestic heavyweight NTT DoCoMo, flying high on the
popularity of its i-mode mobile Web service, launched the world's first
ultrahigh-speed, "third-generation" wireless network. By now, Japanese i-moders
were supposed to be busily videoconferencing, watching movies, listening to
audio in real-time and speedily 3G-surfing the Web pretty much everywhere.
Instead, 3G seems stuck in neutral and DoCoMo - resoundingly brought to earth by
the embarrassing meltdown of multibillion-yen i-mode-based investments in
European and American mobile carriers - appears to have gotten its fingers
burned.

COMMENTARY: This is a well-written story (by your present correspondent, that
is) that covers some of the upcoming technologies and services due for 2003. The
quote I liked the best came from Jeff Funk at Kobe University, who said: "The
sale of digital cameras will decline as most people use their phones as
cameras," predicts Funk.

===========================ADVERTISEMENT==============================
J@PAN INC magazine - the premier journal of business, technology and
people in Japan - invites you to participate in a "Facilities
Management" special ad section scheduled for the February 2003 issue.

The February 2003 special ad section will feature the major companies
that are actively responding to this competitive industry.
Your company will be interviewed for the ad section article and will
be included in the Directory Listings page, providing a tremendous
opportunity for your company to engage customers, build relationships
and explain your services to a highly targeted audience.

For more information please contact:
Fabien Brogard on 3499-2175 ext: 1709 or email fabien@japaninc.com

======================================================================

--> Cybird Chief Honored by Time Magazine
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nb20021126a7.htm
Source: Japan Times, Nov. 26

EXTRACT: Time magazine has picked Kazutomo Robert Hori, president and chief
executive officer of Cybird Co., a mobile Internet-content provider in Tokyo, as
one of the magazine's 15 "Global Influentials" for 2002. Hori's "revolutionary
idea - to charge subscription fees to cell phone users for online content -
helped hatch Japan's mobile-Internet industry," said the Asian edition of the
U.S. magazine, published Monday.

COMMENTARY: Cybird subscribers have jumped 55 percent to 7.3 million in the past
six months according to this report, making the company one of Japan's leading
content providers. They are also launching a new branded SIM-card business in
Asian GSM markets including Taiwan, offering a new twist on the MNVO concept
(mobile virtual network operator). Atta boy, Hori-san: good for you, and good
for Japan.

----------------------------------

--> Small CCD, Signal Processing Chip Keys to Thinner Cell Phones: Matsushita
Manager http://neasia.nikkeibp.com/wcs/leaf?CID=onair/asabt/intvw/219315
Source: NEAsia Online, Nov. 28

EXTRACT: The new Matsushita "P504iS" mobile phone equipped with two built-in
cameras features a thickness of only 18.8mm, just 2mm thicker than the previous
"P504i" model. When Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd.'s Mobile
Communications Company developed the previous model, which was released in June,
the company had no intention to introduce CCD-camera modules in this series of
cellular phones.

COMMENTARY: This story, an interview with a Matsushita engineering group
manager, is an excellent account of how tiny innovation is driving Japan's
handset industry. The handset in question uses camera modules provided by Sanyo
Electric, indicative of the deep (and often
unacknowledged) level of cooperation between keitai makers in this country.

=============================EVENT====================================
>>> 3GMOBILE WORLD FORUM 2003
14-17 January 2003, Tokyo, Japan

As with our hugely successful 2002 event, 3GMobile World Forum 2003
will aim to present a realistic view of the 3G opportunity, and to
provide a platform to transform 3G technology and demand for new high
value services into revenue across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US.

For further information, visit: http://www.3gmobileforum.com

>>> TPC, ICA, Code-J Xmas 2002 Party
Friday, December 6, La Boheme in Shirogane-dai

Come and join the biggest X-mas party of the year, meet old friends or make new
ones! Sponsored by the ICA, TPC, and CODE-J, we are expecting over 200 of
Tokyo's top business and IT professionals attend. Open bar and first-rate
Italian cuisine included.

Doors open at 18:30.
Buffet dinner at 19:00.
Eat, drink, dance & chat until 22:00

For details visit http://www.jellyfishmedia.com/xmas2002/
Sponsored by Vanten, Jens, Morgan Lewis and the ICA

=====================================================================
+++ Subscriber Statistics, Corrections, Credits, Administrivia

Did you know that you're reading the syndicated, lite version of the
Wireless Watch Japan Mail Newsmagazine? :-(

To receive the FULL version of WWJ -- including additional news items
and the famous Viewpoint insider essay -- access:
http://www.wirelesswatchjapan.com/subs.htm

WIRELESS WATCH JAPAN EMAIL NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS
3,280 (via japaninc.com and wwj.com) as of Dec. 3, 2002

STAFF
WWJ video newsmagazine researched, edited and hosted and email
newsletter researched and written by:
Daniel Scuka (daniel@wirelesswatchjapan.com)
Michael Thuresson (michael@wirelesswatchjapan.com)

WWJ video newsmagazine produced and edited by:
Lawrence Cosh-Ishii (video@wirelesswatchjapan.com)

READ PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS
http://www.wirelesswatchjapan.com

CHECK OUT J@PAN INC'S OTHER NEWSLETTERS:
http://www.japaninc.com/subscribe_news.html

UNSUBSCRIBE
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, access:
http://www.japaninc.com/unsubscribe_news.html

ADVERTISING INFORMATION
To advertise in the J@pan Inc version of the
WirelessWatchJapan.com mail newsletter, contact:
ads@japaninc.com

GET THE MAGAZINE
Subscribe at: http://www.japaninc.net/mag/subs.html

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS:
webmaster@japaninc.com

Text copyright (C) 2002 WirelessWatchJapan.com. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part by any means without written
permission of the owners is strictly prohibited. WWJ is republished
by J@pan Inc magazine by special permission.