Final Fantasy: Before Crisis phone to be released outside of Japan

NEC's N900iG, 902SH Mobile Phones for DoCoMo Gain JATE's Approval

September 13, 2004 (TOKYO) -- FOMA N900iG, W-CDMA- and GSM-compliant dual mode mobile phone handsets, developed by NEC Corp for NTT DoCoMo Inc, obtained approval of the Japan Approvals Institute for Telecommunications Equipment (JATE) on Aug 10, 2004.

NTT DoCoMo plans to release mobile phone models compatible with international roaming in the latter half of this year, and N900iG is assumed to be one such model.

The model will be sold in foreign countries as well through Wind Telecommunication SpA, NTT DoCoMo's Italian partner. In the US, the model seems to have been certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Sharp Corp's 902SH received JATE's approval on Aug 6, 2004. The new model does not have characters that indicate the name of a mobile communications provider and a service before the model number, but it is seen to be a model for Vodafone KK.

The 902SH is also a W-CDMA- and GSM-compatible dual mode handset with a built-in Bluetooth capability. It received approval of the Bluetooth Qualification Program (BQP) on Aug 4, 2004, and can be used also as a hands-free cell phone. Sharp's 802SH model also earned a BQP approval on the same day. The 802SH is also seen to be a W-CDMA/GSM dual mode phone. Both models adopt Bluetooth version 1.1.

Casio Hitachi Mobile Communications Co, Ltd's W22H also gained approval. The model is seen to be a successor model of W21H compliant with CDMA 1X WIN, a high-speed data communications service provided by KDDI Corp.