Tokyo, Mar 28, 2006 - (JCN Newswire) - NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and LAWSON, Inc. today announced a business alliance that will result in customers using DoCoMo's Osaifu-Keitai(TM) phones with wallet functions for a variety of practical mobile services at LAWSON convenience stores, such as making credit card payments and obtaining information about store promotions.
In addition, DoCoMo will acquire 2,092,000 shares of LAWSON common stock owned by LAWSON as treasury stock, or about 2% of total issued shares, for about nine billion yen on April 14, 2006 (tentative date). The capital tie-up will strengthen cooperation and facilitate faster development and implementation of new services.
The deals will converge substantial business assets of the two companies, namely DoCoMo's more than 50 million mobile phone subscribers and LAWSON's some 8,300 convenience stores nationwide. The combination of brands, customer bases, know-how and experience will result in a variety of convenient, value-added services.
Initially, about 100 LAWSON convenience stores will introduce DoCoMo's iD(TM) credit card payment service for "Osaifu-Keitai" wallet services by April 30, 2006. The service will be expanded to all LAWSON stores nationwide by March 31, 2007. In addition, users of DoCoMo phones set up for the ToruCa(TM) information-capture service will be able to receive announcements about in-store promotions. This service will be offered by all stores by March 31, 2007.
Going forward, the two companies will hold regular meetings to consider various ways to enhance the collaboration, such as:
- Provide LAWSON club members with iD-linked "Osaifu-Keitai" services
- Offering ad-distribution services via ToruCa
- Installing iD-compatible readers on ATMs in LAWSON stores
- Linking the DoCoMo Coin(TM) and LAWSON purchase-point programs
- LAWSON stores providing administrative services for certain DoCoMo services
- Developing store operations utilizing "Osaifu-Keitai"
- Utilizing both companies' resources to provide new services at LAWSON stores
About NTT DOCOMO
NTT DOCOMO is the world's leading mobile operator and provider of advanced mobile services. The company serves over 55 million customers in Japan, including 48 million using i-mode(TM), the world's most popular mobile e-mail/Internet platform, and 51 million using FOMA(TM), the world's original 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA. As a leader in the development of cutting-edge mobile technologies, DOCOMO is continually expanding the role of mobile phones as versatile and highly personalized "lifestyle tools" for everyday life, including with a wide range of innovative services for mobile payments, GPS, mobile TV, multimedia content and much more. NTT DOCOMO is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM) and New York (DCM) stock exchanges. For more information, visit www.nttdocomo.com.
Contact:
NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
Eijun Tanaka
Assistant Manager,
International Public Relations Group
Inquiries: http://www.nttdocomo.com/inquiry
Mar 28, 2006
Source: NTT DOCOMO
NTT DOCOMO (TSE: 9437) (FTSE: NDCM) (U.S: DCM)
From the Japan Corporate News Network
http://www.japancorp.net
Topic: Business Tieup
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