Japanese MVNOs aren't exactly novel concepts, but Japan Communications has an angle for its new virtual network that most don't: an interconnect agreement. The deal with provider
NTT DoCoMo differentiates it with so-called wholesale MVNOs in that these guys will actually own some of their own infrastructure to hook into the network, which in turn gives them the freedom to offer whatever hardware they choose without NTT's explicit permission to do so. They're really playing up that angle, too, coming out of the gate swinging with a ZTE-sourced broadband dongle -- not exactly the stuff of handset dreams, but they're looking to offer a who's-who of smartphone wares in the future, culminating with a possibly
Android offering down the road. Theoretically, that could end up making Japan Communications the first Japanese carrier with an Android set in its midst, but with NTT DoCoMo a charter member of the Open Handset Alliance, the odds are pretty slim.
[Via
IntoMobile, image via
ITpro]
posted Aug 22nd 2008 8:25PM
yes first comment lol
I'm just trying to figure out why they have a device that appears to be an old add blackberry under "wi-max/3g dual"
That and why they picture the Verizon XV6800 (Sprint Mogul) as the 2nd device from the left. It's CDMA and virtually limited to north america.