We do know NTT DoCoMo will be showing off the first LTE-enabled devices at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. And here are few more juicy tidbits of what to expect from the Japanese carrier:

• Headset with eye-controlled interface that converts eye movements into system commands
• TOUCH WOOD demonstration handset made of real wood
• i-concier concierge-like service providing customers with highly personalized information and support, and the compatible “auto GPS” service offering pinpoint positioning for location-based services
• imadoco search location service, enabling a child’s whereabouts to be confirmed, even if they do not have a GPS-compatible handset, through the use of base stations

Finally, we’ll also see the current lineup of all those cool handsets announced last November.

[Via: DoCoMo]

Martyn Williams, IDG News Service, says that Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM) will show off the world’s first LTE enabled mobile handset at Mobile World Congress later this month. NTT DoCoMo is spending roughly $4 billion on their LTE network and how to commercially launch it this year, but only for data devices.

Why should you care about this? It’s proof that LTE can be shrunken down into something that can fit into your pocket, and the battery life, if they’re silly enough to disclose real world figures, should be an indication of what to expect in terms of how many times you’re going to have charge your device in the course of a full working day.

Note that NTT DoCoMo wanted to be the first to launch a commercial LTE network, but the Swedes beat them to it. TeliaSonera launched in December 2009 and are offering unlimited LTE data for $85/month.

NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM) is the first major carrier that has announced the addition of Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE)’s Android-powered Xperia X10 to its portfolio. The operator will start selling the device as Smartphone Xperia in April.

You already know everything there is to know about the X10 so I won’t go into the specs here. I’ll only add that it will take advantage of DoCoMo’s HSPA network providing users with 2.0 Mbps upload and 7.2 Mbps download speeds. Moreover, the Xperia launch will coincide with the launch of the “docomo market,” a new mobile web portal for smartphone users. The portal will introduce recommended content and applications, including original offerings from DoCoMo…

NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM) has developed a prototype multi-band power amplifier that accommodates eight frequency bands between 700 MHz and 2.5 GHz. As a result, a not-too-big mobile phone that works across frequencies — including LTE, W-CDMA and GSM — could be developed.

DoCoMo’s amplifier does its magic by employing matching circuits whose frequency characteristics are controlled by multiple semiconductor switches according to the required frequency band.

Standard mobile phones use a separate single-band amplifier for each band, hence a device that could work across various networks inevitably increases in size to accommodate new frequency bands.

And for the record, power amplifiers are used in mobile phones to increase signal power up to levels required for wireless communication.

The GSA (Global Suppliers Association) is reporting that over the past 8 months there has been a near 100% increase in the number of operators around the world committing to the LTE standard. There are now 51 network commitments in 24 countries, an increase of 96% over the past 8 months. Not all is rosy in terms of a frequencies however with the EU mainly sticking to 2.6 GHz for LTE, American operators using 700 MHz, and the Japanese using 800 MHz, 1.5 GHz or 1.7 GHz depending on operator. Why is LTE (Long Term Evolution) important? It’s going to be 10x faster than today’s networks, with less latency, and it can scale to support more users. It really is going to be the next generation of wireless. Here is a list of who is working on what:

• Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is deploying LTE in the 700 MHz band. Trial networks are set up in Boston and Seattle, each with 10 LTE sites. Verizon in planning to launch LTE in up to 30 commercial markets by the end 2010, giving coverage to roughly 100 million people, and to deploy a nationwide network by 2013.
• AT&T (NYSE: T) will deploy LTE in 700 MHz and plans to launch LTE in “key markets” during 2011.
• China Mobile is building their TD-SCDMA network so that cell sites and other elements can be upgraded seamlessly to support LTE. TD-LTE is estimate to be commercially available around 2012. China Telecom plans to migrate to LTE.
• Vodafone Germany is deploying an LTE system using digital dividend (790-862 MHz) spectrum. The government plans to auction 6 blocks of 2×5 MHz Digital Dividend spectrum in Q2 2010.
• In Japan the LTE operators will use 1.5 GHz (DoCoMo and Softbank Mobile), 1.5 GHz + 800 MHz (KDDI), and 1.7 GHz (eMobile). NTT DoCoMo plans to launch a commercial LTE launch in December 2010. They will initially focus on PC usage and will only begin offering dual-mode 3G/LTE handsets in 2011. By 2014 NTT DoCoMo plans to provide LTE service to 50% of the population from around 20,000 base stations at a cost of between $3 to 4 billion. eMobile says their LTE network will launchin September 2010.
• SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM), KTF and LG Telecom are deploying LTE networks in South Korea right now.
• Telstra will deploy LTE in hotspots in Australia, mainly in urban areas in 2.6GHz spectrum, and will fill rural broadband gaps using 700MHz. Neither of these bands has been auctioned yet though.
• Telecom Italia plans to deploy LTE and reported in December 2009 that a technical trial using 14 LTE cell sites on its existing mobile broadband infrastructure in Turin delivered 140 Mbps down.
• TeliaSonera Sweden is deploying LTE using nationwide 2 x 20 MHz 2.6 GHz spectrum. On May 25, 2009 TeliaSonera unveiled the world’s first commercial LTE site, part of the LTE network scheduled to launch in Stockholm in 2010.
• Tele2 Sweden and TeleNor Sweden are jointly building an LTE network. The joint venture includes spectrum sharing in the 900 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands. Launch of LTE services is targeted for end 2010, or when modems are available. By 2013 the operators expect 99% of the Swedish population to have access to mobile broadband at speeds up to 80 Mbps in rural areas and up to 150 Mbps in urban areas.
• TeliaSonera Norway is planning to launch an LTE commercial launch in Oslo in 2010.
• TeleNor has an LTE trial network in Oslo and has also committed to commercial deployment.
• France Telecom (Orange) is trailing LTE and deployment is planned for 2011, subject to availability of (2.6 GHz) spectrum.
• T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) Germany anticipates LTE deployment from 2011, with trials underway this year.
• MetroPCS (USA) plans an LTE launch in 2H 2010.
• Cox (USA) has made plans to deploy LTE in 700 MHz spectrum from 2011.
• Aircell will launch LTE in 2011 to boost capacity of their in-flight network.
• Bell Canada and Telus have deployed a joint HSPA network, which will later be upgraded to LTE. Rogers Wireless is conducting LTE trials right now.
• In Hong Kong 2 x 15 MHz blocks of 2.6 GHz FDD spectrum have been auctioned, and won each by China Mobile, Genius Brand (Hutchison Telecom/PCCW) and CSL Limited.
• SmarTone-Vodafone plans to deploy LTE re-using their GSM (900/1800) spectrum in Hong Kong.
• Smart Communications has conducted the first LTE trial in the Philippines. Piltel is reported to have applied for the remaining 3G licence in the country to deploy LTE services.
• Chunghwa Telecom is firmly committed to LTE, however the spectrum situation in Taiwan is unclear. Deployment is expected to start from around 2012.
• Speaking at the LTE Forum 2009 in Lisbon, Portugal, Telecom CEO Zeinal Bava announced LTE trials would be undertaken in Portugal and Brazil.
• Vodacom is testing LTE in its South Africa and reportedly has 1,000 LTE ready cell sites with launch planned “when handsets become available”.
• VivaCell-MTS in Armenia, is reported to have confirmed plans to deploy LTE in 2010.
• MTS, Uzbekistan will deploy LTE and is setting up a pilot LTE network in Tashkent for testing 2010-2012.
• T-Mobile Austria launched a 60 cell site trial LTE network in Innsbruck in July 2009.
• 3 Austria provided a live LTE demonstration at the European Forum in Alpbach, and on August 25, 2009 announced that upgrading of their entire network for LTE had begun, and that the company will have the technical capability to offer LTE to customers from 2011.
• In Denmark a public consultation on 2.6 GHz is underway. An auction is expected during Q1 2010.
• Telefonica has conducted LTE field tests at its Madrid Demonstrations Center, achieving download speeds over 140 Mbps, and plans to trial LTE on its mobile networks in Argentina, Brazil, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, and the UK.
• Bouygues Telecom has selected an infrastructure partner for Europe’s first LTE trial in the 1800 MHz band. The trial is scheduled to begin in 2010 at a number of sites in the western part of France.
• An auction for 2.6 GHz spectrum recently closed in Finland and three operators (Elisa, TeliaSonera and DNA) won a piece of it; they all plan to deploy LTE.

As for LTE devices, LG is saying that the first LTE handsets should come to market. Samsung and Nokia (NYSE: NOK) have already demonstrated LTE modems that you’ll soon see sticking out the side of laptops in cafés all around the world.

What if your next cellphone could heal minor scratches and scuffs all by itself? Well, then you’re probably somewhere in Japan. NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM) has announced that it will be using Nissan’s “Scratch Shield” paint, which was developed for cars, in future mobile phones. The high-tech coating apparently “self-heals fine scratches” when exposed to sunlight, repairing minor to moderate scratches on a handset’s exterior.

We bathe our cars in mineral-free water, slather them in exotic waxes and synthetic sealers and generally baby them throughout their lives. Our cellphones, however, take a beating every single day. They get tossed into a purses filled with keys and nail clippers, pushed into already crowded pant pockets, dropped on concrete – it’s no wonder people around the world spend billions a year to protect their devices. The “Scratch Shield” clear coat protects mobile phones from scratches by automatically repairing them. Depending on the severity of the scratch, healing time can range from overnight to several days. But, there’s a catch, if the scratch goes deeper than the clear coat, the scratch won’t heal on its own.

It’s good to see NTT DoCoMo bringing this technology to the mobile space. Unfortunately, there are no plan to ship handsets coated in “Scratch Shield” paint anywhere outside Japanese borders. That might be reason enough to move to the island nation.

[Via: core77]

Japanese operator DoCoMo, in an attempting at further monetizing their wireless network, have just announced that on December 21, 2009 they will begin trailing an Environmental Sensor Network. These sensors, 300 at the start of the trial, 2500 by March 2011, with an eventual goal of 9000 all over Japan, will provide data on pollen counts, carbon dioxide, ultraviolet, sunlight, and other atmospheric conditions. DoCoMo will then sell this data to anyone who coughs up the money, and even provide services directly to their current customers. This is just the beginning of the smart grid and ubiquitous computing that many have been talking about for years. No word as to who will be building the sensors, how much the accessing the sensor data will cost, or if any other operators are looking into partnering with DoCoMo and bringing the technology to their country.

This is one of the first interesting uses of current wireless infrastructure I’ve heard of in a long, long time. Keep your eye on this.

[Via: DoCoMo, Wireless Watch Japan]

While the United States is still struggling to roll out 3G, Japan’s number one mobile operator NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM) has said that they’re accelerating their plans to turn off their 2G network. What was supposed to take place during December 2012 has now been pushed forward to March 2011. For those of you counting, that’s only 16 months away. Japan’s third largest operator, Softbank (OTCPK: SFTBF), is even more ambitious and plans on terminating their 2G network in 4 months. With Japanese consumers using 3G handsets exclusively, and the entire country of Japan being a little smaller than the state of California, it’s no surprise to see the nation with the most advanced wireless networks on the planet is eager to move forward and abandon legacy networks. What’s funny about all of this is what NTT DoCoMo and Softbank are calling “legacy”, AT&T is calling “the best network” America has to offer.

Makes you stop and think.

[Via: Communities Dominate Brands]

Samsung is teaming up with Tata Teleservices’ GSM brand ‘Tata DOCOMO’ to launch some Android love in India. I haven’t been able to find specifics on the initial device to be launched, but from what I’ve read it’ll be similar to the Samsung Galaxy that has seen air time in other areas of the world. Look for it to become available on Tata DOCOMO for Rs 28,990 (~$600 USD) with 500MB of data for six months. Other devices will be coming down the tube in India as well, as Samsung India Electronics General Manager of Marketing Asim Warsi noted:

“This is first of the block. There would be more this year. Android is a very serious operating system on which we will build more phones…”

Early days on this one, stay tuned for more.

[Via: IndiaTimes]

This is one of those things that makes you go “hmmm, why didn’t anyone else think of that?!” Indian mobile operator Tata Docomo, which only launched this summer, is going to start charging you by the amount of letters/numbers you use in a text message, rather than per text message. Ever wanted to tell someone “OK” but didn’t want to waste the money for a whole text message? This service is for you. The prices are extraordinarily cheap, at only 1 paise per character. The paise is what you and I would call a cent; 100 paise = 1 rupee. That translates to 3.3 American cents for a perfect 160 character text message. In case you’re wondering, they are not going to charge for a space.

[Via: Textually]