NTT DOCOMO and PacketVideo today announced that DOCOMO has acquired a 35-percent stake in PacketVideo for $45.5 million. The all-cash transaction, effective immediately, is intended to strengthen DOCOMO’s position in advanced music and video services in Japan.

The strategic alliance will enable DOCOMO to enhance its music and video service offerings while augmenting the competitiveness of both companies. In particular, the strengthened partnership will facilitate the efficient joint development of PacketVideo’s new technologies, ensuring a stable supply of increasingly advanced mobile applications technologies to DOCOMO.

Toshio Miki, Associate Senior Vice President, Managing Director of Communication Device Development Department for NTT DOCOMO, said: “PacketVideo has been a key supplier of software to DOCOMO and has made important contributions to the success of our services in the Japanese market. We are pleased to become an equity partner of PacketVideo and are very confident of the company’s continued growth and long-term success.”