NTT DoCoMo is doing the following to improve the mobile communications system and services:
1) Upgrading service areas
NTT DoCoMo's service area will be expanded by establishing 33 base stations in new areas and adding 17 base stations in existing service areas for the Nagano Winter Olympics because the games will take place at several different mountainous locations, namely, Nagano City, Yamanouchi-machi (Shiga Kogen), Hakuba Village, Karuizawa-cho, and Nozawa-Onsen Village. The introduction of ultra-small base stations will also enable service areas to be expanded on the Nagano Highway and the tunnel connecting Nagano City and Hakuba.
NTT DoCoMo will also expand the capacity of the facility to fully respond to the needs of the Olympics. These efforts will enable four to five times as much capacity as usual to be accommodated.
2) Strengthening network operation
NTT DoCoMo engineers will be stationed 24 hours a day at switching offices, in addition to round-the-clock monitoring at the Service and Operations Center. Engineers will also monitor base stations in Nagano, Hakuba, Nozawa-Onsen, and Shiga Kogen to further strengthen NTT DoCoMo's monitoring capability. Moreover, transportable base stations and power vehicles will also be deployed.
3) Enhanced services for foreign customers
To increase the convenience of foreign customers, voice guidance for cellular phone services, such as voice mail, will also be available in English. Invoices for telephone charges will also be prepared in English.
4) About 20 ad-hoc maintenance centers will be opened.
NTT DoCoMo will contribute to the operation of the Olympics, by providing a rental and repair service for cellular phones for Olympics players and staff.
These services will be provided by the "Nagano Olympics Project" we established in Nagano and staffed by about 600 people from DoCoMo group companies throughout the country.
