NTT DoCoMo and Hutchison Essar (Hutch) will launch the i-mode mobile Internet service in India within 2007.

DoCoMo will license the patented technologies and know-how needed for Hutch to offer i-mode on GSM, GPRS and W-CDMA networks. Subscribers will enjoy access to rich content, e-mail, games and a variety of useful and entertaining Internet services through their mobile handsets.

Asim Ghosh, Managing Director, Hutchison Essar said, "i-mode is the natural next step for us. At Hutch, we believe that mobile Internet is the way forward for the Internet and what better partner to have for this but i-mode. We are delighted that we will soon be able to offer this brilliant service to our customers."

More than 53 million people across the globe subscribe to i-mode, which are currently available in 16 countries/regions of Asia-Pacific and Europe: Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan and the UK.

Preparations are also underway to launch i-mode in Hong Kong, Macao and the Philippines. DoCoMo plans to expand the service to a total of 26 countries/regions in the future.