Tokyo, and Moscow, May 13th, 2005 -- NEC today announced that it
has received an order for a Ringback Melody (RBM) System project
for Russia's largest mobile phone operator, Mobile TeleSystems
(MTS), which is currently holding over 40 million subscribers and
over 35% market share. RBM operation at MTS is scheduled to start
soon.
The main feature of NEC's RBM solution is its capability to roll
out merely by adding dedicated software onto the server base of
MTS's existing mobile phone infrastructure without imposing a heavy
burden on the existing infrastructure. It also features a patented
system to generate high quality sound with wider frequency and
dynamic ranges. In NEC's RBM system, a unique algorism converts the
RBM data so that high sound quality is maintained when being played
back with the phone's standard voice decoder.
NEC's RBM solution also features a high scalability. The order for
MTS this time is to cover around 500,000 subscribers in Moscow as
an initial stage, and NEC expecting additional involvement of MTS's
expansion project of Moscow and other cities by easy scaling-up to
a larger system.
NEC is demonstrating its strong foothold in this area supplying RBM
solution to Guangdong Mobile, the largest mobile operator in China.
Guangdong Mobile's RBM subscriber numbers has exceeded 10 million
in January 2005 making it the world's largest for a fully operating
Ringback Melody service.
Taking cue from the success of projects in Russia, China and also
in Japan, NEC will further expand its RBM solution business in Asia
and Europe. NEC also intends to provide other value-added solutions
for mobile internet services globally.
Expansion of high-level functionality for the mobile Internet
services in Russia is moving forward, and 3G deployment is becoming
a reality in near future. "Russia is one of the important markets
for NEC." said Noboru Wakita, Senior General Manager of NEC's
Mobile Solutions Operations Unit. "NEC is forging strategic
relationships with mobile operators and is reinforcing its mobile
applications business to provide improved revenue and create new
business opportunities for operators in Russia and other region of
the world. In order to contribute to the development of mobile
services, NEC is cooperating in the area of 3G infrastructure,
mobile applications and 2.5G/3G mobile terminals and is quickly
rolling out attractive mobile services." In February 2005, NEC
announced its entry into 2.5G mobile terminal market.
About NEC's Business Development in Russia
NEC has been involved in businesses in Russia for more than 30
years, contributing to the deployment of most telecommunications
infrastructures such as public switching systems, over 30,000 km of
optical transmission systems, over 9,000 km of microwave systems
including Trans-Siberian-Line networks, Satellite communication
systems and enterprise communication systems. Especially as for
microwave system, we have supplied over 12,000 sets as a part of
Mobile Infrastructure System to Russian Mobile Operators and
contributing to the enhancement of Mobile Services. It has also
pursued technology transfer to local joint venture partners. NEC
Neva Communications System, a manufacturing facility of public
switching system, is the first joint venture company of Russia and
Japan in high-tech area. NEC has also transferred optical
transmission technology to EZAN, Experimental Factory of Russian
Science Academy.
About NEC's mobile application business
NEC is a total mobile solutions provider capable of providing
solutions from mobile handsets to infrastructure and mobile
applications. NEC has been actively expanding its sales in mobile
applications, infrastructure and handsets globally. The firm has a
proven track record of delivering platforms for implementing mobile
internet services such as i-mode/WAP2.0, along with location
information systems, contents conversion software and mail servers.
When introduction of 3G infrastructure and IMS gets going, the
changeover to all-IP and broadband multimedia data communications
will move into high gear. The predictions are, as a result, that
packet-based voice services -- such as VoIP service and PoC (Push
to Talk Over Cellular) -- will expand and the integration of voice
and data services will accelerate along with the introduction of
image distribution services such as cartoons or movies. On the
foundation of its Mobile Internet Platform, NEC will aggressively
expand sales efforts in its primary products of (i) "Ring back
melodies", in which phone call recipients let call senders hear
their favorite music or messages, (ii) "Location information
system", a platform for providing various services based on
participant's location and (iii) "3G/2.5G Mobile Visual Solution"
to provide multimedia data such as cartoons, together with its
other application software offerings.
About NEC's Global Mobile Business
NEC is a total solution provider for 3G and mobile Internet. It has
been involved in every first-stage rollout of 3G systems worldwide.
It is also responsible for developing the first 3G handsets for the
world's first 3G networks. NEC has competence in the mobile
Internet field with its mobile infrastructure system, mobile
application platform and its impressive portfolio of contents.
NEC's mobile handsets are known for their prominent technologies
including large color screens, built-in cameras and other functions
that make them ideal for use in the mobile Internet. In the
3G/mobile multimedia global, NEC aims to take strong initiative to
create the market and to obtain leading position.
About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.l) is one of the
world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and
enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized
needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of
the world's top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored
solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron
devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks,
and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC
Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000
people worldwide and had net sales of 4,855 billion yen (approx.
$45 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 2005. For additional
information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com
Media Contact:
Akiko Shikimori
NEC Corporation
Tel: +81 3 3798 6511
e-mail: a-shikimori@ay.jp.nec.com
Chris Shimizu
NEC Europe Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)20 8752 2794
+7 (095) 766 32 08
e-mail: chris.shimizu@uk.neceur.com