Telecommunications
Japan's telecommunications ministry is urging mobile carriers to disclose their leasing fees for mobile virtual network operators in a bid to increase the number of new entrants to the market and boost competition. Hefty initial costs of building base stations have deterred many would-be entrants from Japan's cell phone market, which is dominated by market leader NTT DoCoMo and the second and third largest players, KDDI Corporation and Softbank Corporation which bought Vodafone's local unit in 2006. The ministry hopes the move will make it easier to negotiate leasing terms and motivate those who want to join the market as virtual operators.
NTT DoCoMo plans to buy a 30% stake in Aktel, Bangladesh's third largest cell phone carrier, for about $386 million. NTT DoCoMo has been looking to gain footholds in fast-growing Asian markets as it looks for new growth drivers outside the mature and highly competitive Japanese market. Bangladesh has one of the world fastest growing cellular markets, with a mobile penetration rate of around 26% and about 40 million users. Aktel is 70% owned by Telekom Malaysia International and 30% owned by Bangladeshi firm AK Khan & Co.
Semiconductors
Japanese orders for chip-making tools remained weak in April, declining from the previous month and falling short of sales as low memory chip prices hurt demand for new equipment from semiconductor makers. The book-to-bill ratio stood at 0.76, meaning that for every Ñ100 ($1) of sales, new orders worth Ñ76came in. The figure rose from 0.73 in March but usually does at this time of year due to a seasonal fall in sales. It was the 10th consecutive month that orders fell short of sales. The equipment usually takes one to 12 months to build and deliver. Price falls are prompting makers of microchips used in PCs, mobile phones and digital music players to hold back on orders for equipment used to process wafers, print circuitry and slice them into semiconductors.
Media, Entertainment and Gaming
Computer game developers are discovering the advantages of scheduling simultaneous global launches of new titles. Previously game software was developed for specific regional markets and then sometime later was localised for sales in other parts of the world. But this is quickly becoming a thing of the past, and "Haze," a new first-person shooter for Sony Corporation's PlayStation 3 console, debuted in this manner on May 22. US game developer Ubisoft Entertainment is handling sales worldwide except for Japan, where DwangoÆs subsidiary Spike will take charge. There is a great deal of dialogue in "Haze," and translating it into Japanese for the simultaneous global launch was no easy task. But Spike did what it had to do because otherwise, the local market could have been overtaken by the imported version.
Mobile/Wireless
Japanese cell phone sales firm Telepark Corporation is set to merge with its nearest rival MS Communications in its latest move to expand market share. The two companies are in the final stage of negotiations and an announcement of the deal is likely this week. Telepark is an affiliate of trading house Mitsui & Co, while MS Communications is a joint venture owned by rivals Mitsubishi Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation.
Internet
Yahoo Japan Corporation plans to spend Ñ60 billion to buy back 1.2 million shares, according to a statement issued to the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Software
Japan-based Komatsu will roll out the Servigistics Service Parts Management solution globally to achieve service chain optimisation from suppliers to dealers across all regions. Komatsu America Corporation, a subsidiary of Komatsu Limited, successfully implemented the Servigistics Service Parts Management solution in North America last year. Building on the success in North America, Komatsu will extend the Servigistics solution to its extensive network of suppliers. In the first phase, Komatsu will deploy a global inventory planning platform, share inventory planning information between MPDCs and RPDCs, and promote collaboration with suppliers.
Hardware
NEC LCD Technologies and its sales and marketing channel in the Americas, NEC Electronics America, have announced the successful development of a manufacturing technology that enables more flexible design of thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. The new technology enables optimal arrangement of gate and source lines in the pixel array and minimises the overlaps between gate and source driver circuitry, when the module is non-rectangular in shape.
Korea
Mobile/Wireless
South Korea aims to more than double its exports of mobile phones, one of its key export items, over the next five years by making technological and service innovations. The government will help local mobile phone makers export 600 million mobile handsets by 2012, a 2.4-fold gain from 250 million units shipped overseas in 2007. The mobile communication sector accounts for roughly 7% of South Korea's economy and is one of the country's leading manufacturing industries along with automobiles and shipbuilding.
Alternative Energy
SunPower has completed the design and construction of a new 1.4MW solar electric power plant project in Hampyeong, South Korea. SunPower has worked with Korean energy firm EnE System to develop the plant, which is owned by Hampyeong Solar Plus. The facility is expected to generate 1.8 million kWh of electricity per year. At the power plant site, SunPower installed panels which are up to 50% more efficient than conventional panels, as well as solar tracking systems which reportedly increase daily energy production compared to fixed-tilt systems.
Technology
The state-run electronic research institute has developed a data transfer technology that is fully compatible with the latest component interconnection standards. The development of the intellectual property (IP) core technology marks a first for the countryÆs information technology sector and heralds its entry into the computer processor and system-on-chip (SoC) market. It said the technology has passed rigorous, year-long compliance tests to determine whether it is fully compatible with the Peripheral Component Interconnect Bus Express (PCI Express). The technology has been registered with the PCI-Special Interest Group that is responsible for setting global standards on PCI Express technologies.
Hardware
Samsung Electronics maintained its global lead in television sales in the first quarter thanks to strong demand for its liquid-crystal display (LCD) TV sets. Samsung made 20% of all televisions sold globally in the January-March period, staying at the top position for the ninth-consecutive quarter. It was the first time that Samsung's global sales topped the 20% mark. Sony Corporation ranked second with 20.8% percent, trailed by LG Electronics with 11.6% and Sharp Corporation with 7.3%. Panasonic Corporation ranked fourth with 7%.
¬ Haymarket Media Limited. All rights reserved.
