TOKYO, JAPAN, June 28, 2001 --- NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today a new i-mode service, dubbed
"i-area," that will provide weather, dining, traffic and other information for 419 separate areas of Japan. The service will be launched in i-mode service areas nationwide on July 2, 2001.
Information is organized according to the handset's current dialing area, so users can find search items easily and quickly without having to deal with vast amounts of information about unrelated areas.
The i-area service itself is free, but some providers may charge a fee for certain information.
"i-area," that will provide weather, dining, traffic and other information for 419 separate areas of Japan. The service will be launched in i-mode service areas nationwide on July 2, 2001.
Information is organized according to the handset's current dialing area, so users can find search items easily and quickly without having to deal with vast amounts of information about unrelated areas.
To access the service, users simply go to the i-mode portal site and click "i-area" to view a menu of available information. Since i-mode base stations automatically recognize the handset's location, users do not need to indicate the area.
Initially, the following contents will be available with the service.
- Weather: weather forecasts, including a convenient rain-alarm function.
- Local guide: shops, restaurants, hotels, etc., including dining information arranged by specific location or type of occasion.
- Maps: detailed maps searchable by address or place name, including a convenient forwarding function to send maps to others via e-mail.
- Traffic: 24-hour updates on traffic congestion, accidents and estimated travel times covering national highways and expressways.
The i-area service itself is free, but some providers may charge a fee for certain information.
At the start, i-area will not be provided for FOMA
i-mode 3G handsets.
