NTT to hang up on Hutchison 3G

JAPANESE mobile phones giant NTT, frustrated by the gap between promise and delivery, is reportedly preparing to end its joint 3G phones venture with Hutchison.

Analysts believe DoCoMo will look for a British partner to advance its i-mode internet technology, with mmO2 believed to be a likely candidate. DoCoMo has invested

184.6bn yen (£920m) in Hutchison Whampoa 3 UK as a way to introduce its imode mobile internet system but it failed to deliver.

DoCoMo says it still holds out hope of working with 3 in relation to i-mode in the future. Observers say DoCoMo will not make a formal announcement that the relationship is over until it has an alternative strategy. DoCoMo's decision comes on the heels of a similar move last November by Dutch carrier KPN to sell back its stake in 3 UK to Hutchison.

British Telecom today slashed the price of broadband from an average £28 a month to £19.99 for a new basic package. It has two million broadband customers and aims to raise that to five million by 2006.