NTT DoCoMo today posted a stronger-than-expected $3 billion net profit for the past business year, powered by its fast-growing mobile Internet services.
Japan's largest wireless operator said consolidated net profit rose 45 per cent to an all-time high of $3.01 billion.
The company also estimated the number of subscribers to its fast-growing imode mobile Internet access service, which lets users browse the Web on their cellphone screen, would reach nearly 30 million by the end of this business year to next March, compared with 23.2 million according to the latest figures.
Mr Kirk Boodry, telecoms analyst at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, said the i-mode forecast appeared rather conservative, noting his own projection of 31.3 million.
DoCoMo shares fell 3.3 per cent to 2.64 million yen today before the earnings announcement. They have risen more than one-third since the start of the year and are the best-performing stock among major telecommunications operators worldwide.
Analysts say DoCoMo's recent decision to delay the full commercial launch of 3G services to October 1st from May 30th is unlikely to have any meaningful impact on its earnings outlook.