i-Mode Wireless In China

Since the launch of NTT DoCoMo's i-mode service in Taiwan an exciting period has started. Taiwan now has 20.000 i-mode subscribers within 2 months since the launch (20 July 2002). Based on a 23.000.000 population this is a relatively good result.

NTT DoCoMo is using Taiwan as a try-out for a possible launch of i-mode in China. Population, language and culture are quite similar, also is the number of Telco's competing within the country.

First handset available in Taiwan is the NEC 530i, which is a modified version of the European NEC21i. Equal from the outside, different from the inside. This handset is able to display all Chinese characters and still has the ability to display Western characters. In practice this means that Taiwanese i-mode users can easily browse European i-mode sites, but are not able to display Japanese sites (at least without text that is).

According to Pan Shih-Kai, a Taiwanese student, i-mode really has big potential in Taiwan. Young people are using it and all types of "unofficial" sites are popping up. Also internet-related established companies have admitted the easy and userfriendly i-mode system and are developing European like services rapidly.
"Although i-mode is relatively expensive to us, since we're paying $US 12,- / month for 200 kilobytes of data, i-mode is getting quite populair here", according to Pan Shih-Kai.
Pan Shih-Kai recently won an i-mode contest with his Chinese "German lessons" i-mode site.

Recently NTT DoCoMo even surprised the Taiwanese public with a real i-mode fair. A lot of new "official" services where presented and people could have a look at next generation (Java Enabled) handsets already (See links below).

i-mode Java recordings from the Taiwanese fair:
Java games 1: http://www.spectra-ts.nl/images/i-apply7.wmv
Java games 2: http://www.spectra-ts.nl/images/i-apply1.wmv

This story by Michel Shuqair.