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Vodafone K.K. announces today that, in cooperation with Sharp Corporation and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), it has developed a mobile handset prototype capable of receiving digital broadcasts for integrating mobile communications and broadcast services.

The prototype is based on terrestrial broadcast specifications for mobile devices in Japan and is capable of receiving and playing H.264/AVC*1 images. The prototype is also compatible with data broadcasts based on BML (Broadcast Markup Language)*2, a characteristic of digital broadcasts. In addition to supporting multiple screens for simultaneously viewing mails and the web while watching TV, digital broadcasts can be viewed for a length of approximately two hours.

Vodafone K.K. will test handset operations on the prototype for new services that fuse mobile communications and broadcasts services, which include providing additional broadcast program information and added-value information via communications, linking programs with communications for participating in quiz shows or responding to questionnaires, and other services that utilize mobile handset functions. To coincide with the launch of mobile digital broadcast services, Vodafone K.K. also plans to offer compatible mobile handsets and is proceeding with the development of attractive services.

The prototype will be displayed as one of the latest RandD items at the NHK Science and Technical Research Laboratory's "Open House 2005" to be held from 26 May to 29 May. The prototype is also scheduled to be exhibited in the Global House at Expo 2005 Aichi Japan from 1 June to 25 September.

*1 A video digital code technology used in broadcasts for mobile devices which maintains vivid images while decreasing data amounts using high compression rates.

*2 A content language for digital broadcasts defined by ARIB (Association of Radio Industries and Businesses) and a technology that links video and voice interactively to the internet.

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