DoCoMo says i-mode users top 30 m

TOKYO: NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan's largest mobile operator, said on Tuesday that

the number of its i-mode Internet mobile service subscribers had reached 30

million.

The i-mode service, which offers news, banking services, stock quotes, travel

and other information over the Internet, has drawn a number of users since it

was launched in February 1999. Overall, DoCoMo had a total 39.16 mobile users as

of November.

DoCoMo also said the number of its Java-compatible handset users had grown to

10 million despite several recall incidents earlier this year. Java is a

computer programming language that allows users to download mini-applications

such as games from the Internet.

Some models of DoCoMo's Java handsets were recalled in February and May

because of software glitches after being introduced in January this year.

(C) Reuters Limited.