KDDI isn't NTT DoCoMo; they're not just going to throw out a bunch of handsets without services that support their new features. That's why KDDI has announced a whole bunch of new services to go hand-in-hand with their announcement of a those new handsets.

The new services are:

• TV Phone Service
  
• EZ Channel Plus
  
• au My Page
  
• EZ News Flash
  
• EZ Keitai Arrange
  
• Address Book Entrust Safety Service
  
• Decoration Mail
  
• Picture Talking Mail
  

Oh giggity! More details on each new service inside.

TV Phone Service

KDDI's new TV Phone service for au is intended for use with CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev.A, slated to be launched in December.

One of the big selling points of au's TV Phone service is the fact that users can use TV Phone with people even on different networks. That being said, in the event that those who you want to call are au users, you're in luck -- as many as 5 people can participate in a single "Group TV Phone" session. One person's video will be sent to all participants in the session.

When the service launches, the "W47T" and "DRAPE" handsets will support it. Other handsets that support Rev.A will also support the new service when they come along.

No add-on charges apply for using the service, but TV Phone calls are calculated as costing 1.8 times as standard phone calls. Impress Watch gives the example of a person with a 4,700 yen/month "Plan S" with 30 seconds of a call costing 16.8 yen, but when they use TV Phone, it will be 29.4 yen. Free minutes won't apply to TV Phone either.

It is possible to use TV Phone in Rev.O (CDMA 1X WIN) service areas, but the performance of the video will be far better in Rev.A service areas. According to Impress Watch's report of the announcement event, the reporter felt as though au's offering had less block noise than did DoCoMo's existing TV Phone offering.

Another part of the service is "EZ Avatar," allowing users to replace their own picture with that of an avatar that talks on their behalf.



Inspired by:
http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30746.html

Press Release:
http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828g/