Tokyo and London , February 9, 2005- NEC Corporation (NEC) announced today it would introduce its new Multimedia Content Adaptation Solution in the 3GSM World Congress 2005 in Cannes , France. The annual exhibition is to take place from 14 to 17 ^th February at the Palais des Festivals et des Congresses.
The Multimedia Content Adaptation is a transcoding engine for Multi-media Messaging (MMAS) and Mobile Browsing (MM-Gate) that optimizes video, music, and photographic data for various types of services and terminals. Besides overcoming barriers and difficulties between different mobile telecommunication providers and different terminals, it facilitates the 2.5G to 3G transition  by allowing  more handsets to access these  services, with free use of video, image, and music.

Multimedia content distribution, together with the Multimedia Messaging (MMS) service launched in 2002, are vital elements in the business strategies of European and Asian mobile operators, who are looking for ways to increase their average revenue per user (ARPU, i.e., per user sales). Multimedia services will, while stimulating new user demand, also trigger new mobile terminal sales.

While, the prospects for expansion of multimedia services are good, the proliferation of services and introduction of new, higher-performance terminals have, in a growing number of cases, resulted in the inability and difficulties of different services and terminals to share multimedia content.

NEC’s Multimedia Content Adaptation System enables content providers to select how the content is adapted to the mobile terminal display, better controlling the customer experience. The system also enables content protection.
With the introduction of NEC's Multimedia Content Adaptation Solution, 2.5G terminal users can enjoy the use of a fuller range of 2.5G and 3G services without having to purchase new terminals. At the same time, 3G service users will be able to participate fully in 2.5G user communities. From the mobile operator's perspective, packet transmission volume will increase and 2.5G users stimulated to upgrade to higher-added-value 3G services. In addition, it will facilitate exchanges between providers; for example, service providers in Japan will now be able to do business with other providers overseas.　The Multimedia Content Adaptation is already deployed and in commercial operation in Europe.

For more information regarding NEC's activities at 3GSM World Congress 2005, please see the following URL:
http://www.nec-3gsm.com/
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<About NEC’s mobile application business>
NEC is a total mobile solutions provider capable of providing solutions from cellular handsets to infrastructure and mobile applications. NEC has been actively expanding its sales in mobile applications, infrastructure and handsets, not only within Japan, but also in overseas markets. 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, mail servers, and the like. NEC’s mobile applications are value-added applications by which, using cell phones, persons anywhere can easily get the information they want and freely participate in their favorite communities and thus live more fulfilling lives. The fundamental concepts behind the applications are “personalize”, “community” and “security.” In the recent years, because of the penetration of camera-equipped cell phones and the introduction of ring tone services for call sender, the keywords “personal” and “community” have assumed greater importance. On the other hand, 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.