TOKYO, JAPAN, May 25, 2001- NTT DoCoMo announced today new countermeasures against unsolicited commercial e-mail ("junk e-mail") sent to DoCoMo i-mode users.

In recent months an increasing number of customers have been receiving junk e-mail from third parties engaged in the mass e-mailing of advertisements. In particular, a large number of complaints have been voiced over e-mail that advertise dating services.

In response, NTT DoCoMo announces the following countermeasures:

PR measures

• More ads about the countermeasures in broadcast and print media (started in May)
• Flyers enclosed with monthly bills (starting in June)
• Pamphlets and posters at DoCoMo branch offices and shops (started May 21)
• Recommending customers not to use the mobile phone number for their user name (first half of email address) when they sign up for the i-mode service (starting in June)
• Flyers enclosed with mobile phone operating manuals (starting in mid-June)

Technical measures

• The number of e-mail addresses that can be blocked will be increased from five to 10. (starting in early June)

• The number of user-designated addresses from which e-mail can be received (all others blocked) will be increased from five to 10. (starting in early June)

• DoCoMo is also considering changing the default e-mail user name (currently the handset's phone number, as in [number]@docomo.ne.jp) to one that contains alphabetic and numeric characters. (tentatively from July)

• DoCoMo will create a new pricing system.(within 2001)

Attatchment

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.

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 (currently up to 5).

4. Total e-mail blocking (since November 2000)
   The user can block all incoming e-mail.

5. E-mail source selection (since November 2000)
   The user can select up to five e-mail addresses from which e-mail will be accepted, while blocking e-mail from all other addresses.

6. 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 literature enclosed with monthly bills.