Tokyo & Singapore, October 25, 2005 --- NEC Corporation and NEC Solutions Asia Pacific, a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, today announced that NEC will provide its i-mode 3G and 2.5G phones, N600i and N411i to Singapore's i-mode users through integrated info-communications provider StarHub. StarHub today started a pre-launch program where selected customers are invited to experience i-mode for the first time in the lead-up to the commercial launch of i-mode in Singapore before the end of the year.

 

i-mode's resounding success in Japan, Australia and Europe coupled with its high-speed user access, integrated mobile suite of solutions and unrestricted access to global content are set to change the way Singaporeans use their phones. With the introduction of i-mode, Singaporeans will be the first in Southeast Asia to enjoy quick and simple accessibility to a wide variety of lifestyle content and service offerings, ranging from banking, entertainment, games, news, shopping, sports, information and directory, to travel sites, as well as push email service.

 

"StarHub is pleased to partner NEC to introduce the popular NEC i-mode handsets in Singapore. By partnering NEC, which already offers mobile phones in all i-mode markets, StarHub is set to unveil a new chapter in Singapore's mobile market via NEC's i-mode mobile handsets," said Mr. Chan Kin Hung, Senior Vice President of Mobile Services, StarHub. "We are committed in bringing the tremendously popular i-mode service to Singaporeans, complete with corresponding i-mode handsets such as those from NEC, to deliver i-mode's unique predictable and user-friendly experience for an unparalleled mobile Internet experience with just one click."

 

NEC is the pioneer in developing i-mode technology and handsets when NTT DoCoMo developed the world's first mobile Internet service in Japan in February 1999. Leading the world in the deployment of i-mode solutions, services, platforms, handsets and content, reinforces NEC's position as the leading company with the expertise to deliver the full i-mode package along with value added services.

 

"The launch of our i-mode mobile handsets marks the entry of NEC into the mobile internet market in Singapore." said Joji Takahashi, General Manager of Mobile Terminals Global Marketing and Sales Division, NEC Corp.

 

The N600i, the latest i-mode 3G handsets, is a compact (94.4×47.5×24.5mm, 115g) and striking clamshell 3G video-phone equipped with a full-scale 1.3 mega-pixel integrated auto-focus camera so users can shoot photos and video and share them immediately with friends and family. Not only capable of displaying high-resolution pictures, the N600i's two inch 65K QVGA main LCD display is also able to show MPEG4 movies. The N600i's in-built Bluetooth(R) technology allows effortless interaction with other devices, including laptops, mobiles and compatible headsets, as well as synchronization with PC contacts and appointments. Users can also maximize their "micro-time" by video calling business colleagues while waiting for flights in the departure lounge. Being a complete mobile office and entertainment package means N600i users can travel light and leave other accessories such as PDAs, MP3 players, laptops, games consoles and even roadmaps, behind. Make an account transfer in the back of a taxi using the N600i's i-mode menu for online banking and the N600i's 20MB embedded memory and expand the memory on the phone using a Trans-FlashTMmemory card to store large amounts of data – music, photos and video.

 

The N411i is compact and striking with a full-scale 1.3M Pixel integrated camera which enables users to take rich pictures. N411i also features the 1.9 inch 65K colors main LCD to display not only high-resolution pictures but also MPEG4 movies. Developed based on expertise gained from the Mobile Internet markets in Japan and Europe, N411i is very suitable for accessing mobile Internet applications and rich contents, comprising 64 tone polyphonic ring tones, DoJa(TM) JAVA Applications and wide variety of connectivity such as Bluetooth, IrDA, USB and PictBridge.

 

NEC has been making significant inroads into the mobiles market with a vast range of products and services it has developed in the 2.5G and 3G areas. With i-mode, it now becomes only one of the very few companies capable of providing the full spectrum of handset technologies required for the changing demands of sophisticated mobile consumers.

 

As NEC embarks on new technologies, the company will continue to remain the pace setter in creative telecommunications and innovative leading edge thinking.

 

StarHub Mobile is DoCoMo's 14th partner for i-mode services. The other partners are E-Plus Mobilfunk GmbH & Co. KG, KPN Mobile The Netherlands B.V, Far EasTone Telecommunications Co., Ltd., BASE N.V./S.A., Bouygues Telecom S.A., Telefonica Moviles Espana, S.A., Wind Telecomunicazioni S.p.A., COSMOTE Mobile Telecommunications S.A., Telstra Corporation Limited, Cellcom Israel LTD., O2 plc, and Mobile TeleSystems OJSC. NEC is i-mode handset supplier of all these i-mode operators in Japan and overseas. NEC has also supplied i-mode service platform to 9 operators among them.

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

 

About StarHub

 

StarHub is Singapore's second largest info-communication company and the sole operator delivering a full range of information, communications and entertainment services over fixed, cable, mobile and Internet platforms. StarHub operates a 3G mobile network in addition to its GSM network and plans to launch i-mode mobile data services by end 2005. StarHub also operates its own nation-wide HFC network that delivers multi-channel cable TV services (including Digital Cable), voice and Internet access for both consumer and corporate markets. StarHub is listed on the SGX-ST.

 

Driven by a passion for listening and providing what customers want, StarHub endeavours to bring affordable and premium quality services with innovative and useful features to all its customers. StarHub raises the level of competition in Singapore, challenging others as well as itself, to constantly introduce new world-class services at competitive prices. This unwavering commitment will further strengthen Singapore's position as a leading info-communication hub in the region.

 

Visit www.starhub.com/imodem  for all your communications needs.

Some of the statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical facts. These forward-looking statements reflect StarHub Ltd's current intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside StarHub Ltd's control. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include known and unknown risks. Because actual results could differ materially from StarHub Ltd's current intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about the future, you are urged to view all forward-looking statements contained in this news release with caution.

 

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Note:

 

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i-mode and DoJa are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries.

 

 

Press Contact: Akiko Shikimori

NEC Corporation

Tel: +81 3 3798 6511

a-shikimori@ay.jp.nec.com

 

Ms. Pamela Lim

NEC Solutions Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

Tel: +65-6379 2282

limak@ap.nec.com.sg

 

Ms Masako Hirano

NEC Business Coordination Centre (Singapore) Pte Ltd

Tel: +65-6416 9572

m-hirano@bccs.nec.com.sg