Interesting argument, but completely torpedoed by the fact that i-mode doesn't use the PHS system: it's run over the entirely separate PDC system, which has none of the disadvantages that you raise. The data system run over PHS isn't the same at all.
Urban areas of the UK should get GPRS in the second quarter of this year. Can't speak for the KPN footprint.
However, since WAP2 (XTHML-based, content can look more or less as good as i-mode content) won't be fully specced-out until this summer (at the soonest!) we won't have GPRS WAP2 handsets until a fair few months after we've got GPRS i-mode handsets. And GPRS WAP1 versus GPRS i-mode is no contest at all.
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Interesting argument, but completely torpedoed by the fact that i-mode doesn't use the PHS system: it's run over the entirely separate PDC system, which has none of the disadvantages that you raise. The data system run over PHS isn't the same at all.
Urban areas of the UK should get GPRS in the second quarter of this year. Can't speak for the KPN footprint. However, since WAP2 (XTHML-based, content can look more or less as good as i-mode content) won't be fully specced-out until this summer (at the soonest!) we won't have GPRS WAP2 handsets until a fair few months after we've got GPRS i-mode handsets. And GPRS WAP1 versus GPRS i-mode is no contest at all.