MediaSeek, CF Company, Clarinet Systems in Business Tie-Up
To Offer Service Using Cell Phones Equipped with Infrared
--Solutions will combine i-applis and infrared switches

MediaSeek KK (Headquarters: Minato-Ku, Tokyo, CEO Nishio Naoki, hereafter MediaSeek), CF Company KK (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, CEO Tadaki Mamoru, hereafter CF Company) and Clarinet Systems Co. (Fremont, California, USA, hereafter Clarinet Systems) have recently announced a business tie-up for the design, development and service of a system for cell phones equipped with infrared.

This system enables information to be exchanged over infrared LAN switches between FTP servers and cell phones equipped with infrared and dedicated i-applis. After the initial download of the i-appli, users are able to receive the information that they want without incurring any packet fees. MediaSeek utilizes NTT Docomo's i-applis to manage the planning, design and development, while CF Company is in charge of offering the OBEX enabled infrared LAN adapters developed by Clarinet Systems to customers who are exploring opportunities to offer new services using cell phones to the B2B2C market.

A typical application example would be a customer in an amusement park using a cell phone on which an i-appli has already been installed to access an infrared access point installed at his table to download coupons, check on wait times and make reservations for attractions, or order meals. From the user's standpoint, the advantages are that, as opposed to information transmissions via i-Mode, there are no communications charges with this system, and rather than having information pushed to them via email, users can go and get information when they want without being inconvenienced (by junk mail).

Further, from the service provider's standpoint, the advantages are that they can get more customers through raising customer satisfaction, and they can collect customer data to implement CRM programs. The minimum system hardware configuration consists of an infrared adapter (ESB301: sales price of 44,800 yen) and a server, and other start-up expenses would be development of the server application and the i-appli; thus the system can be deployed inexpensively.

The ESB301 is an infrared LAN unit that connects to an Ethernet LAN via a cable. Additionally, a product called the ESB3011b, which can be connected via an 802.11b wireless LAN environment, and multi-port LAN switches (ESB3008/3016), which enable 8 or 16 cell phones to be connected simultaneously, are also available. First year sales of 3000 switches are forecast.

Primary Applications - Department stores and shopping malls

* Access information re. special sales and events

- Theme parks
* Information about events, restaurants, waiting times, etc.

- Fast food stores
* Order meals directly from table without having to stand in line

- Baseball, soccer and other sports venues
* Information about that day's games
* Order items from venue shops from the customer's seat

- Cinemas and theatres
* Get information about movies before the showing starts
* Order items from venue shops from the customer's seat