LONDON, 1 March 2002 --- NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Japan's leading mobile communications operator, is pleased to announce the listing today of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange ("LSE"). Trading in the stock will commence at 8.00am GMT this morning under the company code NDCM. In addition, at 2.30pm GMT today, trading in DoCoMo's ADSs will begin on the New York Stock Exchange.
The listings in London and New York will expand investment opportunities to a wider investor base, enhance the global liquidity of DoCoMo's shares, and provide the Company with greater financing options to sustain its global expansion plans. Moreover, DoCoMo believes that its enhanced worldwide profile will support the development of global markets for its mobile multimedia services.
DoCoMo offers a wide range of mobile communications services to its 40 million subscribers in Japan. Two of the most prominent services are i-mode, the world's most popular mobile Internet service and, FOMA, a 3G mobile communication service. DoCoMo is planning to introduce both of these services in Europe and the US through partnerships with local operators.
KPN Mobile, in whom DoCoMo has a 15% equity stake, is a good example of DoCoMo's partnership strategy for Europe. DoCoMo has concluded i-mode license agreements with KPN Mobile Group companies, which will launch i-mode services in European markets from this spring through its subsidiaries, KPN Mobile in the Netherlands, KPN Orange in Belgium and E-plus in Germany. In Britain, Hutchison 3G UK, in whom DoCoMo has a 20% stake, is planning to launch 3G service in the second half of 2002 in co-operation with DoCoMo.
The listing on the LSE will broaden opportunities not only for further equity partnerships but also technical partnerships to enable DoCoMo to bring to Europe the full range of market-leading services and products that it offers in Japan.
DoCoMo has been listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange since 1998. As of January 31, 2002, DoCoMo's market capitalization was approximately 14 trillion yen or approx.
74.7 billion (based on January 31, 2002 exchange rate).
Mr. Yoshinori Uda, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NTT DoCoMo, responsible for the Company's global business strategy, commented, "I am delighted to announce the listing of DoCoMo's stock on the London Stock Exchange this morning. The listings announced today will enable investors to trade our stock in London, New York and Tokyo and give us access to global capital markets to support our growth plans for the business."
"This is a very exciting time for the industry. Mobile communication between people, and the interaction they have with the machines they use is facilitating an unprecedented shift in local and global social relationships. Providing a common platform for such interaction will, I hope, allow DoCoMo to play a major role in the creation of a richer social environment."
Don Cruickshank, Chairman of the London Stock Exchange, said, "Companies from outside Europe are increasingly looking to access European capital markets. NTT DoCoMo is the latest company to recognize our strength as the number one gateway to equity capital in Europe. I'm delighted to welcome them for their European listing in London today."
Notes to Editors:
NTT DoCoMo is the world's leading mobile communications company with more than 40 million customers. The company provides a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services. These include i-mode, the world's most popular mobile internet service, which provides e-mail and internet access to over 31 million subscribers, and FOMA, launched in 2001 as the world's first 3G mobile service. In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States, Europe and Brazil, the company is expanding its global reach through strategic joint ventures and other alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. For more information, visit www.nttdocomo.com
i-mode and FOMA are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements, such as the statement in the third paragraph relating to the expected introduction of DoCoMo's i-mode and third generation services in Europe and the U.S., can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "plan" or similar words. These statements discuss future expectations, identify strategies, discuss market trends, contain projections of results of operations or of DoCoMo's financial condition, or state other forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, DoCoMo's ability to continue to attract and retain subscribers to its services, its ability to add capacity to its existing wireless networks, its ability to successfully expand and attract additional customers to its third generation wireless services, its ability to successfully expand internationally through international alliances and investments outside of Japan, its ability to respond and adapt to regulatory developments and changes, in particular in the areas of telecommunications and radio wave transmissions, its ability to continue to win acceptance of its services and products, which are offered in highly competitive markets characterized by the continuous introduction of new services and products, rapid developments in technology and subjective and changing consumer preferences, and other additionally risks set forth in "Item 3.D: Risk Factors" of DoCoMo's registration statement on Form 20-F (File No. 1-31221) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 8, 2002. Actual results could be materially different from and worse than as described in the forward-looking statements.
The listings in London and New York will expand investment opportunities to a wider investor base, enhance the global liquidity of DoCoMo's shares, and provide the Company with greater financing options to sustain its global expansion plans. Moreover, DoCoMo believes that its enhanced worldwide profile will support the development of global markets for its mobile multimedia services.
DoCoMo offers a wide range of mobile communications services to its 40 million subscribers in Japan. Two of the most prominent services are i-mode, the world's most popular mobile Internet service and, FOMA, a 3G mobile communication service. DoCoMo is planning to introduce both of these services in Europe and the US through partnerships with local operators.
KPN Mobile, in whom DoCoMo has a 15% equity stake, is a good example of DoCoMo's partnership strategy for Europe. DoCoMo has concluded i-mode license agreements with KPN Mobile Group companies, which will launch i-mode services in European markets from this spring through its subsidiaries, KPN Mobile in the Netherlands, KPN Orange in Belgium and E-plus in Germany. In Britain, Hutchison 3G UK, in whom DoCoMo has a 20% stake, is planning to launch 3G service in the second half of 2002 in co-operation with DoCoMo.
The listing on the LSE will broaden opportunities not only for further equity partnerships but also technical partnerships to enable DoCoMo to bring to Europe the full range of market-leading services and products that it offers in Japan.
DoCoMo has been listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange since 1998. As of January 31, 2002, DoCoMo's market capitalization was approximately 14 trillion yen or approx.
74.7 billion (based on January 31, 2002 exchange rate).Mr. Yoshinori Uda, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NTT DoCoMo, responsible for the Company's global business strategy, commented, "I am delighted to announce the listing of DoCoMo's stock on the London Stock Exchange this morning. The listings announced today will enable investors to trade our stock in London, New York and Tokyo and give us access to global capital markets to support our growth plans for the business."
"This is a very exciting time for the industry. Mobile communication between people, and the interaction they have with the machines they use is facilitating an unprecedented shift in local and global social relationships. Providing a common platform for such interaction will, I hope, allow DoCoMo to play a major role in the creation of a richer social environment."
Don Cruickshank, Chairman of the London Stock Exchange, said, "Companies from outside Europe are increasingly looking to access European capital markets. NTT DoCoMo is the latest company to recognize our strength as the number one gateway to equity capital in Europe. I'm delighted to welcome them for their European listing in London today."
Notes to Editors:
NTT DoCoMo is the world's leading mobile communications company with more than 40 million customers. The company provides a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services. These include i-mode, the world's most popular mobile internet service, which provides e-mail and internet access to over 31 million subscribers, and FOMA, launched in 2001 as the world's first 3G mobile service. In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States, Europe and Brazil, the company is expanding its global reach through strategic joint ventures and other alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. For more information, visit www.nttdocomo.com
i-mode and FOMA are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements, such as the statement in the third paragraph relating to the expected introduction of DoCoMo's i-mode and third generation services in Europe and the U.S., can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "plan" or similar words. These statements discuss future expectations, identify strategies, discuss market trends, contain projections of results of operations or of DoCoMo's financial condition, or state other forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, DoCoMo's ability to continue to attract and retain subscribers to its services, its ability to add capacity to its existing wireless networks, its ability to successfully expand and attract additional customers to its third generation wireless services, its ability to successfully expand internationally through international alliances and investments outside of Japan, its ability to respond and adapt to regulatory developments and changes, in particular in the areas of telecommunications and radio wave transmissions, its ability to continue to win acceptance of its services and products, which are offered in highly competitive markets characterized by the continuous introduction of new services and products, rapid developments in technology and subjective and changing consumer preferences, and other additionally risks set forth in "Item 3.D: Risk Factors" of DoCoMo's registration statement on Form 20-F (File No. 1-31221) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 8, 2002. Actual results could be materially different from and worse than as described in the forward-looking statements.
