Japan's NTT Docomo Inc will lower fixed monthly fees for packet communication Internet-access services on its cell phones in October in an attempt to counter rivals such as KDDI Corp and SoftBank Mobile Corp.
The company says it will cut charges for accessing Web sites and exchanging e-mail via its i-mode service from 4,095 yen (US$38) a month to 1,029 yen ($9.45).
It also plans to expand its network of retail shops to attract more customers in the fiercely contested cell phone communications market.
The new service, Pake Hodai Daburu, sets the fixed monthly fee of 1,029 yen ($9.45) on the condition that data transmission does not exceed a specified limit.
If this limit is exceeded, users will have to pay additional charges up to a maximum of 4,410 yen ($40.5).
Concerning the expansion of its retail network, NTT Docomo plans to open about 150 new shops, boosting it total outlets to about 2,400.