DoCoMo 3G test hit by email hiccup

The stability of DoCoMo's 3G service has been questioned for being so complex that it is vulnerable to crashes

In this story: 'Service has been intermittent' One of many setbacks RELATED STORIES, SITES

By CNN's Kristie Lu Stout

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- The world's first third-generation mobile service was hit by an email hiccup, a glitch that underscores NTT DoCoMo's mounting 3G worries.

One day after its May 30 launch, users of the trial service were not able to receive I-mode email messages due to a technical problem at one of the mobile operator's computer servers.

Though the email service has been restored, the glitch raises concerns whether NTT DoCoMo will be able to meet its formal commercial launch deadline on October 1.

'Service has been intermittent'

"The service has been intermittent," DoCoMo 3G trial user Eugene Thoo told CNN. "But it seems to be back to normal right now."

"Last week there were a few times I couldn't access the I-mode, there was the email problem. But as of this weekend, it was okay."

Due to server problems, mobile emails were not available Thursday evening. NTT DoCoMo told CNN that the breakdown has been repaired and is functioning properly for the time being.

"Now that the service is stable, we don't see any problem at the moment," said DoCoMo spokesperson Yuichiro Pat Kuwahata. About 4,500 monitors in Japan are test driving the 3G service, a mobile offering called "Foma" that runs at speeds from 64 to 384 kilobytes per second.

NTT DoCoMo is conducting the trial service to collect customer feedback prior to its full-scale launch of 3G services in October.

One of many setbacks

The email glitch is just one of a number of setbacks that have hit DoCoMo's 3G debut.

In late April, DoCoMo postponed the full commercial launch of its 3G service to October from May 30.

At last week's trial launch, DoCoMo failed to release its much-touted video-enabled phones due to software glitches.

Also, Foma's global roaming service has been pushed to next year or later since DoCoMo's European counterparts, intimidated by the upfront investment needed for the service, have delayed their 3G rollout schedules.

Adding insult to injury, Japan's Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications has elected not to attach quality assurance to data communications over the Foma service, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported.

The stability of the system has been questioned for being so complex that it is vulnerable to crashes.

Though the doubts and delays have weighed down on DoCoMo, one of the world's leading mobile companies, it is still riding high on the enormous popularity of its I-mode mobile Internet data service.

The company posted a stronger than expected $3 billion net profit for the past business year, powered by its fast-growing mobile Internet services.

DoCoMo, Japan's largest company by market capitalization said last month that consolidated net profit rose 45 percent to a record 365.5 billion yen ($3.01 billion) for the year ended March 31.

DoCoMo plans to invest $8.25 billion over the next three years on 3G and expects to sign up 150,000 3G customers by March 2002.

Japan launches world's first 3G services
May 30, 2001

NTT DoCoMo Net

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