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NTT DoCoMo and Fujitsu today signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly showcase third-generation (3G) FOMA mobile communication services in France.

Under the agreement, the companies will establish a base station in France that will be connected to DoCoMo's FOMA network in Japan through an international private line.

The demonstration will be based in a showroom of Alcatel, Fujitsu's 3G partner, in the suburbs of Paris. It will enable Europeans to directly experience DoCoMo's groundbreaking FOMA, the world's first commercial 3G mobile communications service based on W-CDMA technology.

The showroom will be established in November 2003 and be in operation for one year. DoCoMo, as part of providing access to its FOMA network for the demonstration, will set up a radio network controller to connect the international line with the network. Fujitsu will provide the FOMA handsets and base station and, together with Alcatel, will set up and operate the showroom. 3G systems have been developed by Evolium SAS, a joint venture company established by Fujitsu and Alcatel.

European visitors will be able to use 3G handsets available commercially in Japan to experience FOMA's rich features, such as videophone, i-mode mobile internet, i-motion sound and video-clip transmission, "Multiaccess" simultaneous voice/data communications, superior voice quality and high-speed data transmission.

By exposing visitors to 3G mobile communications through hands-on demonstrations, the project is expected to generate strong interest in the highly advanced FOMA service and thereby lay the groundwork for a successful introduction of 3G services in Europe.