[DoCoMo to lead consortium conducting mobile videoconferencing field trials.]

Tokyo -- NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced that a DoCoMo-led consortium will conduct field trials on a newly developed mobile communications platform that enables numerous people to participate simultaneously in mobile videoconferencing. Involving more than 35 companies from a variety of industries, the consortium will be established on May 27, with testing to take place May 31-September 30, 2002.

Developed in March of this year by DoCoMo, the new platform is the world's first for mobile phone video-teleconferencing. The platform is compatible with FOMA video phones equipped for 3G-324M protocol, the IMT-2000 standard for audio-video mobile communications.

During the trial period, the platform will be tested in a variety of situations, such as business meetings, using FOMA video phones to carry live broadcasts of events held at multiple locations. When a video conference involves four people or less, the phone screen splits into four windows to show each person simultaneously. The user can optionally switch to full-screen display of each person as they speak.

The consortium will verify platform operation and marketability, as well as conduct various studies to develop service applications that will lead to the realization of commercial services. With DoCoMo serving as secretariat, the consortium will meet periodically to confirm trial results.

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