Tokyo, Japan, June 18, 2000 --- NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (NTT DoCoMo) announced today that the company and its eight subsidiaries will apply to the ministries of Public Management, Home Affairs and Post and Telecommunications for permission to introduce a new charging system for packet-based mobile communication to counter junk e-mail. Under the new system, the companies will provide their customers with 400 packets (worth about 120 yen) of free packet-data communication to help them cope with the increasing number of junk (unsolicited) commercial e-mail being sent to DoCoMo i-mode users.

Certain individuals and companies are transmitting mass volumes of junk e-mails at one time to i-mode users, which can overburden NTT DoCoMo's telecommunication facilities and cause users to experience difficulties receiving i-mode e-mail. The problem has also been encountered by users of NTT DoCoMo's recently introduced third-generation (3G) "FOMA" i-mode phones.

In response, NTT DoCoMo will take the following steps to strengthen its junk e-mail countermeasures:

1. Provide i-mode users with up to 400 packets (equivalent to about 120 yen) per month of free communication for sending/receiving e-mail and accessing the Internet via i-mode handsets (from August 1, 2001 tentatively). FOMA i-mode phones, however, will not apply.
2. Free access to the "i-Menu" i-mode page, which customers can use to change their i-mode e-mail addresses, set e-mail blocking functions, etc. (from August 1, 2001 tentatively). The service will be extended to FOMA i-mode users sometime in 2002.
3. Default e-mail usernames that contain random alphabetic and numeric characters, instead of using the handset's phone number for the default username (from July 9, 2001, tentatively).
4. Total short-mail blocking-enables the user to block e-mail sent from short-mail addresses (from July 2, 2001, tentatively).
5. Expansion of NTT DoCoMo i-mode center and telecommunications facilities to cope with the increasing volume of junk e-mail. The company is also planning to set up a system to block mass-volume e-mails.
6. NTT DoCoMo will seek a court order to force companies to stop sending mass-volume junk e-mail via the i-mode system.
7. NTT DoCoMo will also place more ads in broadcast and print media to inform the public about its junk e-mail countermeasures. In addition, more information will be provided through NTT DoCoMo's website and i-mode portal, as well as fliers enclosed with monthly bills.

Attachment

Existing Countermeasures against Junk E-Mail

1. User-designated i-mode e-mail addresses (since July 1999)
   The user can replace their e-mail address from the default user name (mobile phone number) with a name that combines alphabetic and numeric characters (minimum 3 and maximum 30 characters)
2. Secret code (since July 1999)
   The user can register a four-digit secret number (password) that must be entered after their phone number in order to send e-mail to their mobile phone. The user then provides the number only to those people from whom they want to receive e-mail.
3. E-mail blocking (since November 2000)
   The user can block e-mail sent from specified e-mail addresses (up to 5).
4. E-mail source selection (since November 2000)
   The user can select up to five e-mail addresses from which e-mail has been accepted, while blocking e-mail from all other addresses.
5. Total e-mail blocking (since November 2000)
   The user can block all incoming e-mail.
6. The number of e-mail addresses that can be blocked has been increased from five to 10. (since June, 2001)
7. Expansion of NTT DoCoMo i-mode center and telecommunications facilities to cope with the increasing volume of junk e-mail.
8. Consumer awareness
   NTT DoCoMo has been placing advertisements in the broadcast and print media to inform users about how to avoid unwanted e-mail. Information is also being provided to users via the NTT DoCoMo website and i-mode portal, as well as fliers enclosed with monthly bills.

Reference 1 (.pdf)

Reference 2 (.pdf)