DOCOMO to Form Business and Capital Alliance with Pioneer to Enter Intelligent Transport Systems Business

TOKYO, JAPAN, --- NTT DOCOMO, INC., a personalized mobile solutions provider for smarter living, announced today an agreement on a business and capital alliance with Pioneer Corporation, a leading manufacturer of car and home electronics, to integrate Pioneer’s in-car navigation telematics technologies and related peripheral development capabilities with DOCOMO’s mobile cloud expertise to make a full-scale entry into the field of intelligent transport systems (ITS).

The envisioned in-car ITS system will use probe data gathered from Pioneer’s car-mounted navigation system and DOCOMO smartphones in moving vehicles to process detailed traffic information in Pioneer’s ITS cloud platform. ITS services that integrate this information with various other services will be jointly developed and launched for individual and corporate customers this year.

In addition to developing such services and constructing ITS-related cloud infrastructure, the two companies will develop and sell compatible car-mounted communication devices.

Under the capital alliance, DOCOMO plans to invest about five billion yen (approx. 50 million U.S. dollars) through a third-party allocation of new shares to acquire approx. 7% stake in Pioneer this coming June 28.

DOCOMO and Pioneer already have partnered in the integration of car electronics and information services, including the “docomo Drive NetTM” navigation service, which incorporates DOCOMO’s smartphones placed in dashboard-mounted cradles.

NTT DOCOMO
CEO: Kaoru Kato
Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Capital: 949.6 billion yen (as of March 31, 2013)
Established: July 1, 1992
Employees(consolidated): 23,289 (as of March 31, 2012)
Business:
-Services for mobile devices (XiTM & FOMATM), packet communications, international calling and satellite phone, and sales of related devices.
-Mobile related businesses.

Pioneer Corporation
President: Susumu Kotani
Head office: Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, Japan
Capital: 87.2 billion yen (as of March 31, 2012)
Established: May 8, 1947
Employees(consolidated): 24,765 (as of March 31, 2012)
Business:
-Car, home and other electronics businesses.

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*noticeFOMA, Xi, and docomo Drive Net are trademarks of NTT DOCOMO, INC.
*noticeNTT DOCOMO’s FOMA, Xi, and docomo Drive Net services are only available to subscribers in Japan.

About NTT DOCOMO

NTT DOCOMO provides innovative, convenient and secure mobile services that enable smarter living for each customer. The company serves over 61 million mobile customers in Japan via advanced wireless networks, including a nationwide 3G network and one of the world’s first commercial LTE networks. Leveraging its unique capabilities as a mobile operator, DOCOMO is a leading developer of cutting-edge technologies for NFC mobile payments, mobile GPS, mobile TV, intuitive mobile assistance, environmental monitoring, smart grids and much more. Overseas, the company provides technical and operational expertise to eight mobile operators and other partner companies. NTT DOCOMO is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM) and New York (DCM) stock exchanges. Please visit http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/ for more information.