The re-design is the first stage in a radical re-development of Namco’s
i-mode services. The company’s re-launched i-mode site has been designed
from the ground up to be easy to use, visually appealing and offers users
an even broader range of content. PAC-MAN ARCADE subscribers can now pick
from games and entertainment, through to personalisation services such as
ringtones and wallpapers, featuring some of Namco’s most famous characters,
from PAC-MAN through to Tekken
Jessica Gwyther, Namco Europe’s i-mode Manager, said, “Namco’s i-mode
channel has been incredibly popular with users since it was first launched
in 2003. It has given users some of Namco’s most popular games and allowed
them to play many of the top titles from our very broad catalogue of
content from Japan. The new re-design and extended range of services has
been undertaken to ensure Namco remains at the forefront of the European
i-mode market as it continues to grow and attract new users. We’ve worked
very hard with the networks to ensure we cater for all of their users and
provide them with the best mobile entertainment service in Europe.”
i-mode was first introduced in Japan in 1999 and is the most widely used
mobile entertainment service in the advanced Japanese market, with over
43,000,000 users. It differs from the WAP and Java standards found in
Europe both technically and in terms of business model. i-mode allows
content providers to create their own ‘channels’ for consumers, where the
provider can choose the services available. Users pay a low-cost monthly
subscription for access to all of the content on their chosen channel.
i-mode was introduced to Europe in 2002 where it has grown rapidly. Seven
operators now offer i-mode services from leading content providers, such as
Namco, to over 5,000,000 users.
Pramesh Chauhan, the Head of Business Development for Namco Europe’s Web &
Mobile Content division, said, “The i-mode market in Europe is very
important to Namco, and one which offers a compelling model for the future
of mobile entertainment. It provides publishers with the ability to create
dedicated, feature-rich channels for consumers and due to the commercial
model, provides them with the incentive to actively market and promote the
channel. This creates a closed and far more dynamic relationship between
the publisher and the consumer and benefits both. Namco has had a great
deal of experience with i-mode and has supported the standard since it was
first introduced into the European market. Alongside the re-design, we have
a number of major titles, new promotions and exciting new services to be
announced over the next several months, and we’re confident they will set a
new standard for i-mode services, not just in Europe, but worldwide.”
About Namco Europe Ltd.
Namco Europe Ltd is the European headquarters of Namco Limited, a Tokyo-based world leader in the high-tech entertainment industry. Group turnover for 2004 was $1.5bn.
Committed to providing the ultimate interactive entertainment experience,
Namco uses cutting-edge technology and advanced electronics to take their
theme parks, arcades, and home video games far beyond traditional entertainment.
Through its Web and Mobile Content Division, Namco currently provides JavaTM, BREWTM and i-modeTM based content to all carriers in Japan (NTT DoCoMo, Vodafone KK, and KDDI), and in Europe (Vodafone Group through Vodafone live!, Orange World, O2 UK and Ireland, T-Mobile, Telefonica Móviles, Bouygues Telecom, KPN Mobile, eplus and Cosmote)
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