KDDI Announces Launch of CDMA2000 1x Third-Generation Wireless Service in Major Japanese Cities; New GPS Handset with Built-in Camera to Enter Market

Business Wire, March 19, 2002

Business Editors

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 19, 2002

KDDI Corp. and Okinawa Cellular Telephone Co. will launch a 144kbps high-speed CDMA2000 1x third-generation cellular phone service simultaneously in major cities across Japan from April 1, 2002.

Five new CDMA2000 1x (hereafter, CDMA2000) mobile handsets will also be released, including the "A3012CA", which has a GPS service and is equipped with a 350,000-pixel high-quality camera.

CDMA2000 is recognized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to be an IMT-2000 third-generation cellular communications system. Initially, 2GHz bands were required for accreditation, but the ITU later determined that frequency bands other than 2GHz, such as 800MHz bands, were acceptable in IMT-2000 systems. Overseas, six countries -- including the U.S. and South Korea -- and 11 companies have already begun CDMA2000 services, and 12 countries -- including China, Australia and New Zealand -- and 29 companies are considering commercialization.

Third Generation Cellular Phones (CDMA2000 1x)

KDDI and its "au" wireless service pioneered the development of 64kbps packet telecommunications networks across Japan, and will create a more enjoyable wireless Internet environment with data transmissions of up to 144kbps. The service will give users of the EZweb wireless Internet service, various internet service providers and users of local area network (LAN) connections download transmission speeds of up to 144kbps and upload transmission speeds of up to 64kbps.

From April 1, CDMA2000 services will cover 33 municipalities -- including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and 12 other major cities in Japan -- and 477 regional communities. KDDI plans to expand services gradually to other parts so that, by the end of 2002, 90 percent of the population will be within the CDMA2000 service area. Since CDMA2000 handsets can still offer conventional services such as voice communications and64kbps data transmission even outside those areas offering 144kbps data transmission, customers can use their phones anywhere in the country without worrying about the area they are in.

In April 2002, KDDI plans to launch five new CDMA2000 handsets. These new models are compatible with the GPS `eznavigation' personal positioning service, with `ezplus,' which can run Java(TM) applications and with WAP 2.0, allowing users access to unofficial i-mode sites. As with the A3012CA GPS handset, which is equipped with a 350,000-pixel high-quality CMOS camera, all these handsets meet customer needs for compact, lightweight, handsets with extended life cycles and low prices.

In the future, KDDI plans to upgrade the Movie handset, which is compatible with the `ezmovie' moving image distribution system, aiming to provide users with richer content, alternative uses and a variety of business solutions.

-- Transmission speed is on a best effort basis and may be reduced depending on
circuit congestion.

-- The transmission speed and built-in functions for EZweb vary according to
each handset.

-- Java and other trademarks related to Java in the U.S. and other countries
are the trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Further details of the new services are listed below.

KDDI Press Contacts TOKYO - Public Relations Section, Hiroshi Ishihara, (81)(3) 3347.6935 SEATTLE - Mobile Business Research Center, John Martin, 206/322-7918

1. Call charges

Customers using 144kbps CDMA2000-compatible handsets for EZweb or internet provider connections can also register for the optional `high-speed packet service.'

Customers using eznavigation, ezmovie and ezplus and other EZweb services can also register for `EZwebmulti,' an EZweb service specifically for the GPS Keitai and Movie Keitai.

There is a reduced packet transmission charge (reduced rate time at 0.1 yen/packet) for high-capacity data transmission on `EZwebmulti.'

Customers with CDMA2000-compatible handsets may continue to use the additional services and fee plans offered by cdmaOne that are not described above.

1.1. Ezweb charges

Ezwebmulti 300Y/month

Ezweb@mail 200Y/month (Kanto, Chubu), 300Y/month elsewhere

1.2. High Speed Packet Service Charge...600Y/month

Service -- CDMA2000 coverage areas -- Download -- 144kbps

Upload -- 64kbps

1.3. Packet Transmission Fees

Ranges from 0.27Y/packet, peak to 01.Y/packet for large-volume off-peak, with large-bucket monthly discounts available.

2. CDMA2000 Cellular Phones

5 new models, 3 with GPS

                                                        Built-in
Model      Vendor     GPS   Java  WAP   Basic Internet  Camera
A3012CA    Casio       X      X     X                     X
A3011SA    Sanyo       X      X     X
A3011T     Toshiba     X      X     X
A1011ST    Sanyo                              X
A1012K     Kyocera                            X


Product Name    A3012CA      A3011SA      A3013T
Vendor          Casio        Sanyo        Toshiba
Kyocera
Size            48x94x25mm   48x95x23mm   47x93x25mm
47x96x23mm
Weight          106g         97g          105g
Talk Time       140m         140m         130m
Standby Time    230hours     250hour      200hours
220hours
Recharge Time   120m         115m         100m
Inbox           200kb        256kb        100kb
Outbox          60kb         10kb         200kb
Data Storage    12.8MB       1.5MB        1MB


Product Name    A1011ST       A1012K
Vendor          Sanyo
Kyocera
Size            45x93x24mm
47x96x23mm
Weight          99g           93g
Talk Time       150m          140m
Standby Time    230hours
220hours
Recharge Time   110m          100m
Inbox           200kb         256kb
Outbox          57kb          128kb
Data Storage    800kb         800kb