Access says work has begun adapting its Linux-based mobile phone stack to work with Japanese mobile phone marketshare leader NTT DoCoMo's 3G network. DoCoMo will begin distributing 3G FOMA phones based on Access Linux Platform (ALP) and an operator-specific pack in the second half of 2009, Access said.

Access first announced more than a year ago that its ALP phone stack was being considered as a replacement for the common Linux-based MOAP (Mobile Oriented Application Platform) software stack jointly developed by Panasonic and NEC, and maintained by their Esteemo joint venture. Today, the companies announced that work has indeed commenced on an “operator pack” comprised of carrier-specific applications enabling ALP-based phones to be used with DoCoMo “FOMA” (Freedom of Mobile Access) 3G services. To be built collaboratively by Access and DoCoMo, the pack will foster “greater development efficiency” and faster market launches for high-end handsets, Access said. The pack — and ALP — are expected to see use in handsets in the second half of fiscal 2009, Access said.

Kiyohito Nagata, managing director of products and services at NTT DoCoMo, stated, “The development by ACCESS of a global shared platform that conforms to the LiMo specification is significant. The operator pack promoted by NTT DoCoMo also conforms to the LiMo platform specification; we expect it to aid not only NTT DoCoMo's business, but also global development by ACCESS and handset makers, as well as the creation of an ecosystem.”

Toru Arakawa, Access president and co-founder, stated, “NTT DoCoMo's selection of ACCESS Linux Platform will promote growth in next-generation Linux handsets — not only in Japan, but in the global market as well.”

European carrier Orange has also approved ALP as a supported OS on its 3G network. Access is the primary sponsor of a large mobile Linux conference to be held in conjunction with this year's LinuxWorld Expo in San Francisco this August. Another big win for Access came earlier this year, with the launch of the Amazon Kindle eBook reader.

 
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