Softbank: To Adopt New Common Mobile Phone Operating System

TOKYO -(Dow Jones)- Softbank Corp. said Tuesday its mobile division would adopt new software that will make it easier for different manufacturers to make mobile phones for its network.

The company said its adoption of the "Portable Open Platform Initiative" would speed the development of new handsets by providing a common software interface.

Software development is one of the most costly and time-consuming steps in developing mobile phones. Other carriers such as NTT DoCoMo Corp. use similar open platform software.

-By Jay Alabaster, Dow Jones Newswires; 813-5255-2929; jay.alabaster@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires"

Posted to the site on 22nd May 2007