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The unofficial independent imode FAQ
3. Official imode menu sites
3.1 What are "official" and "unofficial" imode sites?
Every imode handset has an "imode button". When you press the imode button,
the "i-Mode top Menu" appears. At the top of the "i-Mode top Menu" you will
find a link to the "i-Menu". If you click on the "i-Menu" link,
a new menu appears which includes an entry for the "Menu List", which is a directory
of all official imode sites plus some additional functions (search, billing information, DoCoMo
news, etc).
Those imode sites, which users can access directly by clicking on links in the directory of the "Menu List" are
"official" imode sites. Those imode sites which are not directly linked to subpages
of the "menu list" are "unofficial" (katte) sites. Anybody can offer "unofficial" i-mode
sites, and there are about 80,000 such sites. Official i-mode sites are always within a partnership with DoCoMo.
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3.2 How many "official" and "unofficial" imode sites are there?
At this point in time (Summer 2004) there are about 4000 official imode menu sites operated
by about 3000 content providers and other companies. There are about 80,000 non-official ordinary imode sites.
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3.3 I want to have my company's imode site listed on the official imode menu. How can I get my company's imode
site listed on the official imode menu?
You will need to get NTT-DoCoMo interested in entering into a partnership agreement with your company.
NTT-DoCoMo receives 1000s proposals for imode-menu partnerships and only accepts a handful every
month. You will need to convince NTT-DoCoMo that your imode site is sufficiently interesting for imode
users, and you will also need to satisfy a list of criteria which NTT-DoCoMo requires offical imode sites and
official imode partner site operators to fulfill. Make no mistake: having an official menu site in itself
does not guarantee profits. Setting up a business based on an imode site is a major business project, which
needs much know-how, information and investment. As a foreign company you will normally need to acquire the
local know-how in some way: either by hiring outstanding management, partnering with a local company such as
us (Eurotechnology Japan K. K.)
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3.4 What about DoCoMo's billing system?
Official sites participate in DoCoMo's billing (mcommerce) system. Unofficial sites do not participate in DoCoMo's billing
(mcommerce) system. You do not need to be a DoCoMo official site partner to operate a successful imode business, and not
all DoCoMo official sites are commercially successful! imode. Today i-mode is a developed mass market business reaching about 40 million
people (one third of
Japan's population). Building an imode business, or using imode for your business needs very thorough preparation.
Aiming to enter into a official site partnership with DoCoMo is in some cases the right strategy, and in other cases
alternatives are a better strategy. We are regularly working with companies through details of imode business development
including the question whether to aim for an official site relationship with DoCoMo.
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3.5 Which are the most successful imode menu sites?
There are many successful sites. The most visited i-mode sites, besides DoCoMos menu sites and
DoCoMos information sites are the weather and the news sites.
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3.6 We are a European, Israeli, US, Indian, Australian... company and we have developed
a great WAP site. We have heard that Bandai is very successful on imode -
what do we have to do to make an imode site as successful as Bandai's sites?
That's a question we often hear. We can assure you that it will not be a trivial
work at all for a foreign company to attempt to build an imode site with
similar success as Bandai's sites. At the very least you will need to
build a site which fits Japanese users' tastes, expectations and needs as well
as Bandai's and also you will need to provide a real value to the users, which they
can understand and appreciate. And also you will need to communicate to the users
that you provide this service and the value. Also you will need to solve all technical
issues - but this is the relatively easy part. In addition, you will also need to convince
DoCoMo to accept your site as an official menu site.
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