RealNetworks and NTT DoCoMo Sign MOU to Develop Mobile Video Streaming Software

MocoNews reporting from 3GSM:

http://www.moconews.net/?p=5061
NTT DoCoMo press release here:

http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/info/news_release/page/20060217.html

(japanese)

http://www.nttdocomo.com/presscenter/pressreleases/press/pressrelease.html?param[no]=613

(english)

NTT DoCoMo has more than 20million subscribers on its 3G FOMA network, which translates to about 40% of its subscription base. Contrast this with AU (KDDI), where more than 80% of subscribers are on 3G. As far as 3G is concerned, DoCoMo is playing catchup. AU has a slight edge in terms of total number of subscribers on 3G networks at this time, but DoCoMo are encouraging users to migrate to FOMA from the 2G MOVA network, and it is expected that DoCoMo will have more 3G users by the end of the year unless AU manages to capture more market share. With mobile number portability scheduled to start sometime this year, it is difficult to tell how the market will pan out.

In any case, it is hoped that DoCoMo’s efforts are to faciliate content providers to provide higher QoS streaming services to DoCoMo subscribers, rather than an old fashioned attempt to create a walled garden. Clearly, it is easier to artificially manufacture a framework which results in a significant differential in user experience for bandwidth intensive, QoS critial applications than for static web content, and I hope DoCoMo does not try to bully content providers.

We need content providers who are able to offer their (device and network optimised) content from a variety of devices connected to the internet.

To do so, network providers need to play ball, and come up with a way to sufficiently monetize a framework which does not depend on the providers creating another walled garden…..