Internet
ò Media sources said Softbank Corp is launching an Internet Protocol (IP) phone service using a fibre-optic network in August. The move is seen as a strategy to attract clients away from rivals Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. Under the offering, Softbank subscribers will be able to make calls for free after a small monthly charge. The subscribers will include the 5 million under its BB Phone IP phone service.
Mobile/Wireless
ò NTT DoCoMo announced that it has entered into an agreement with the wireless unit of AT&T to provide technical and financial support valued at $24 million for the deployment of AT&T's 3G mobile phone network in Hawaii. Under the agreement, AT&T will launch a 3G network based on W-CDMA technology on the island of Oahu by the end of this year, with the plans to widen coverage to the rest of Hawaii by early next year. The deal would also see NTT DoCoMo making arrangements to provide enhanced 3G services for customers traveling to Hawaii.
ò Media sources said Sanyo Electric Co is planning to sell its cell phone sales unit, Telecom Sanyo, in a deal estimated to be worth up to 10 billion yen ($85 million). Telecom Sanyo operates 60 stores in Japan and serves as a sales agent for NTT DoCoMo and other mobile operators. Industry observers note that Sanyo has been selling off businesses as part of its restructuring. The company is expected to hold an auction for the unit, with Telepark Corp, NEC Mobiling and Marubeni Telecom Co. identified as possible bidders. No comment could be secured from Sanyo about this development.
Hardware
ò Toshiba announced its decision to recall about 10,000 laptop computer batteries released in Japan and other countries because the Sony-made batteries are likely to cause fire as a result of overheating. A Toshiba spokesperson announced that from September 2006 to June 2007, the Sony-made batteries have already caused three fire accidents. The company said the batteries to be recalled this time are different from those recalled in 2006.
ò Dell Inc. announced the expansion of its retail presence to Japan, a move that will enable it to sell different types of computers at Bic Camera stores. With the agreement, Dell said it will sell XPS M1330, Inspiron 1520 and 6400 notebooks as well as the Inspiron 530s desktop at 22 stores beginning in early August. The partnership is based on the business relationship the two companies have forged since 2000, when Dell began putting kiosks in Bic Camera stores and other retail outlets. The alliance allowed clients to order Dell products and have them shipped; it did not allow them to buy and take home units from the store. Industry observers note that until 2006, Dell dominated the PC business by selling systems directly to consumers and businesses over the Internet or telephone, at a savings accruing to customers.
ò Eastman Kodak Co, the worldÆs largest photography company, disclosed that it has filed a suit against Matsushita Electric Industrial, with the complaint filed in a federal court in Texas, stating that the Japanese company is using KodakÆs inventions without permission. Included in the complaint were Panasonic Corp, Victor Co, and JVC Americas Corp. Matsushita owns all of Panasonic and holds also a majority stake in Victor, which makes the JVC brand. The suit mentioned how Kodak has been ôdamaged by the infringementö and thus seeks a court order to stop the use of its technology.
Semiconductors
ò Toshiba, Fujitsu and NEC Electronics announced that they entered an alliance to jointly develop advanced 32-nanometer chips in a bid to face strong competition in the market. Reports indicated that the three companies had been discussing sharing the estimated 100-200 billion yen ($830 million-$1.6 billion) development costs estimated to be needed to compete.
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