May 10, 2005

NTT DoCoMo will open a $100 million venture-capital effort in the United States to "shorten development time, lower its research and development costs and expand its opportunities for developing mobile services and technologies," the carrier said.

The carrier's venture firm will be based in San Jose, Calif., and should open in July. The carrier said it would put a maximum of $100 million toward the fund.

DoCoMo's venture capital business is the carrier's latest operation in the United States.

In 1999, the carrier opened its NTT DoCoMo USA business, with offices in New York and Washington.

NTT DoCoMo USA oversees the carrier's U.S. public and investor relations and its research into the U.S. market, and operates the Namikiteru public wireless local area network for Japanese users. DoCoMo also mans a research facility in San Jose.

DoCoMo's venture capital effort marks a turning point in the carrier's international strategy.

DoCoMo previously invested billions in carriers like AT&T Wireless Services Inc. to promote W-CDMA technology and its i-mode wireless data service.

However, the carrier was forced to write down the value of most of its international investments.

Source: RCR News