the i-mode story prepared: jerry gao ph.d. san jose state university email: [email protected]...

The i-mode Story

Prepared: Jerry Gao Ph.D.

San Jose State Universityemail: [email protected]

URL: http://www.engr.sjsu.edu/gaojerry

Oct., 2002

Topic: Overview of i-mode

- A Successful Story -> The i-mode story

- i-mode services

- Basic Features of i-mode

- i-mode structure and architecture

- i-mode Experience and Lessons

- Advantages and Limitations

- Comparisons of i-mode and WAP

- Challenges and Future of i-mode

Jerry Gao Ph.D. 10/2002

Presentation Outline

All Rights Reserved

The most popular wireless data service on the plant is i-mode.

• i-mode was developed by DoCoMo ( which means “anywhere” in Japanese) as a subsidiary of NTT (The Japan’s largest telecommunication service provider Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.) in 1992.

• i-mode (The “i” stands for information) is a wireless technology and service mark.

• The i-mode service, begun in Feb. 1999, enable users to access Internet services via their cellular i-mode phones.

•With each subscriber on average signing up for three additional services at $1 per month per service, NTT DoCoMo earns $36 per year per subscriber in incremental business.

Jerry Gao Ph.D. 10/2002 All Rights Reserved

The I-mode Story

Topic: Overview of I--mode

The provided services for I-mode customers:

• Voice communications

• A large number of sites by simply pressing the i-mode key.

• Over a dozen I-mode search engines and sites that provide a lot of information services on sports, stock quotes, maps, weather forecasts, restaurant coupon discounts, and horoscopes.

•The convenient and useful mobile commerce services, such as mobile banking, stock trading, and ticket reservations.

• i-mode is compatible with Internet e-mail and can also transfer mail between i-mode devices.

•Application downloads from more than 1600 web sites.

•As of July 2001, there were 25 million subscribers and more than 37,000 i-mode sites, including 1,420 preferred sites.


The i-mode Services


i-mode 2G service has a transmission speed of 9.6 kbps.

i-mode has the underlying packet-switching system.

i-mode uses SSL or Secure Socket Layer, provided by RSA.

i-mode uses Sun Solaris servers on the back end.

i-mode service uses compression technology to increase the volume of data that is transmitted.

i-mode service uses I-mode browser to interact with users

i-mode uses Compact HTML (C-HTML) and proprietary protocol stack.

i-mode provides an always-on service -> no dial is needed.


The Basic Features of i-mode


• Suite of applications that make up the total iMode Service including:

– Browser – currently based on cHTML but changing to xHTML

– iMode Email client – Proprietary HTTP Mail

– Security Stack – based on SSL 3.0

– iMelody – downloadable ringer tone service using MII

– iAnimation – Animated GIF support in grayscale and color

– DoCoMo pictograms – downloadable graphics such as a Pokemon (future of Japanese economy)

– i-appli Java service supporting application downloads



The Basic Features of i-mode

i-mode Features



i-mode Structure

Connecting to sites, receiving messages and transmitting e-mail are done via the DoCoMo i-mode center.



i-mode Architecture

Web Server

Content

CGIScripts

etc.

C-H

TM

L

wit

h C

HT

ML

-Scr

ipt

PortalClient

HTTP

SSL

W-TCP

IP

iMode

CHTML

HTTP

SSL

W-TCP

IP

CHTML

HTTP

SSL

TCP

IP

CHTML

HTTP

SSL

TCP

IP

CHTML

HTTP



i-mode Success

• Japan marketed iMode as an experience not a technology

– Targeted to consumers

– Large, readable screens COLOR

– Phone enables (email, melodies, animations, etc.)

– Lots of content sites: 500+ official, 15K+ unofficial content provider sites.

• Business Model:

– Gateways provide email, notification, DoCoMo served content tracks usage

– DoCoMo collects fees, takes part of it, and sells packets. They can barely keep up with demand.



Lessons from Japan’s i-mode Success• The big secret of the success of I-mode is that Internet developers can

put their web site content online with few changes.

• If you keep a customer on the air, DoCoMo or a third party will given you the major cut of the transaction.

• Other Japanese merits:

– Packet-switched service is always connected.• Pay for exchanged information or data

• No need to access network (for example, no dial-up service and time)

– Attraction comes from personal value, not Internet hype.• They want to attract ordinary people, not techies.

• Keep operations and service simple, technology are hidden.

– The service is a viable national technology enclave.• Hardware, network, and software are perfectly matched

• Network and device standards are harmonized.



Lessons from Japan’s i-mode Success

– Content makers are given choices.• Wild content on the Internet are offered

• A trusted service is provided to subscribers

– The micro-billing economy encourages consumer purchasing.

– Simple Internet standards make everyone’s work easier.

– Subscribers use quality handsets.• I-mode handsets are the work of art and standardized.

– Complete products are offered from the carrier.• Subscribers have comprehensive billing.

– Satisfied subscribers get what they want.• At the beginning of 2001, the i-mode application breakdown is 64%

entertainment, 21% information, 9% transaction, and 6% database.

– A mature commercial infrastructure contributes to use.• Japanese commercial infrastructure, including hotel, restaurants, taxi

companies,and banks, grouped and supported by an i-mode society.



i-mode is Evolving

• Video clips being added.

• More sound support/voices.

• Kjava arrived in 1Q’01.

• SSL coming online.

• Emphasis is on what end users will find exciting and interesting.



Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages:

• iMode technology does not require special language for the mobile unit. It could access all existing web sites by using cHTML (compact HTML).

• iMode is accessible by a packet-switched network, meaning that users are always online.

• iMode users are charged only for the amount of information downloaded to the iMode unit, not the time they spend at the web sites.

• Disadvantages:

• iMode service and technology is currently only available in Japan.

• iMode is not an entirely open protocol. That limits the drive the developers can make for this technology.



iMode vs. WAP - Network

• Neither WAP nor iMode rely on one particular underlying network type.

• WAP in Europe has been deployed on a circuit-switched network.

• iMode in Japan has been deployed on a packet-switched network.

• WAP users will have to endure waiting during connection set-up and being charged for time spent on-line until their network operators upgrade to a packet-switched network.

• iMode users enjoys almost-instant downloads and the response times needed for online gaming with their "always-on" network.



iMode vs. WAP - Markup Language

• WAP uses WML which is a new language.

• iMode uses cHTML which is simply an extended subset of the existing HTML Web standard.

• iMode can immediately make use of the skills of current WWW developers, but those interested in producing content for WAP browsers must learn WML from scratch.

• As the WWW community migrates away from HTML and towards XML in the next few years, iMode may find that it's short-term stop-gap approach loses out to WAP's longer-term measured approach.



iMode vs. WAP - Deployed Applications

• WAP in Europe uses text and no images small screen.

• iMode in Japan uses text and color images and larger screen.

• WAP is Marketed for business application (banking, stock portfolio, business news, flight booking).

• iMode marketed for consumer applications (restaurant guide, fun images, ringing melodies).



NTTDoCoMo(I-Mode)

European and North AmericanMobile Operators(WAP)

IndustryValue Chain

By controlling all aspects includinghandset specifications and theinterface, branding, and content,DoCoMo has become the i-modevalue chain.

With carriers and content providersvying for ownership of the consumer, afragmented value chain has evolved.

TechnologyversusContent

Content has been at the core ofthe service and was in placebefore the technology.

Offers diverse contentcategorized into four areas: on-line transactions, entertainment,databases and information.

As of 2000, the service offered25,100 content sites, 1,100official and 24,000 unofficial.

The WAP standard wasdeveloped and the contentfollowed.

Content has focused on financialand information services.

Comparison i-mode & WAP



Comparison i-mode & WAPNTTDoCoMo(I-Mode)

European and North AmericanMobile Operators(WAP)

cHTML vsWML

Based on language of traditionalInternet, cHTML has made it easyfor developers to create ‘unofficial’content.

Developers must learn a newlanguage.

Limited number of sites writtenfor WAP.

Networks Packet data network with ‘always’ onconnectivity.

Dial-up GSM and other 2G networks

Licensingcosts

Granted spectrum access undergovernment revenue sharing scheme.

European operators have been ladenwith the high cost of UTMS licensingcosts.

BillingSystem

Customers are charged flat rateof ¥300 ($3.00) and the cost ofdata transmitted.

WAP users are billed for theabout of airtime it takes to receivedata.

Use i-mode users view 300 to 400 Webpages a month.

WAP users access the Internet less thanonce a week



Market of i-mode & WAP



Future of WAP and i-mode

WAP 1.x

WTP

WTLS

IP

Network Bearer

WSP

WML

WDP UDP

WSP

WML

WDP UDP

WAP 2.0

TLS

W-TCP

IP

Network Bearer

HTTP

XML

iMode on IMT-2000

SSL/TLS

W-TCP

IP

Network Bearer IMT

2000

HTTP

XML

Current i-mode

SSL

TL

IP

Network Bearer PDC-P

HTTP

CHTML

Future Protocol Proposed Stack



Challenges of i-mode

• i-mode's content seems to be heavily tied to Japanese culture and may not easily translate to other countries.

• CHTML is incompatible with full HTML.

• i-mode does not support security layer because it is not required for consumer applications.

• i-mode uses the PDC-P network which is not a world standard while other parts of the world like Asia and Europe have circuit switched networks in place.



the i-mode story prepared: jerry gao ph.d. san jose state university email: [email protected]...

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