NTT Docomo Planning Broad Expansion Into Asia

NTT DoCoMo is planning a broad expansion into Asia in an effort to exploit a predicted boom in high-technology demand in the region, its chief executive said, the Financial Times reported on Its Web site Thursday.

Masao Nakamura, chief executive, said the company was considering forays into the potentially large markets of Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, the report said. "I think the center of activity going forward will be Asia," he said.

Nakamura said the model for its expansion into Europe - technical alliances without large cash outlays - might not work in less advanced Asian markets. "In Asia...no investment may not be a feasible idea."

However, he raised doubts about investing in China and India, according to the report.

He said a lack of clarity about the state of the Chinese market meant "we haven't had any concrete talks... We're not really sure which operator runs which technology," the report said.

In India, Vodafone's acquisition of a stake in Bharti Telecom, the Indian operator, meant "we have to think which operator is left and it's going to be difficult," he said, according to the report.

In spite of doubts about China and India, "there are many other large markets with high populations such as Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, and the challenge for us is to decide what to do with these large markets," Nakamura said, according to the report.

"We've been having talks on various issues. But in these markets...nothing has been decided," he said, according to the report, adding that NTT DoCoMo needed to clarify technological issues and "the direction of foreign ownership."

Web Site: www.FT.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires"

Posted to the site on 2nd June 2006