NTT DoCoMo kicks off BlackBerry service in Japan
updated 07:55 am EDT, Mon July 7, 2008
NTT DoCoMo BlackBerry
Japan's dominant cell carrier NTT DoCoMo on Monday said it has started BlackBerry Internet Service, giving the carrier its first implementation of Research in Motion's push e-mail network for home users as well as for small companies that don't require their own servers. The service needs a specific phone, the BlackBerry 8707h, but supports both e-mail and web access on the provider's cellular network.
The company intends to start offering the 8707h and the BlackBerry service on August 1st, with the messaging plan running for $28 per month after tax but before including separate voice or data plans. A generic BlackBerry Data Transmission plan will cost $16 per month and makes the unusual move of basing data use on packets: the plan allows for 80,000 data packet transfers (at an unknown size) with more transfers costing extra.
