World's first 3G service hit by e-mail breakdown

The world's first third-generation mobile phone service has been hit by a glitch in its e-mail service.

The world's first third-generation mobile phone service has been hit by a glitch in its e-mail service.

Operator NTT DoCoMo says a server problem means e-mails were unavailable for 18 hours from yesterday afternoon.

The pioneering service - offering high-speed Internet connections on videophone handsets - was launched on Wednesday.

The company says the disruption stemmed from a server fault in one of its installations in Yokohama, near Tokyo.

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Spokesman Mr Hiroto Nakagawa says the problem has now been fixed and the service is operating properly.

He says the limited roll-out, involving only 3,300 users in the Tokyo area, is intended to allow problems to be ironed out before a full consumer offering.

The company originally promised a service for the whole of Tokyo by May, but was forced to postpone this until October after encountering recurring software problems.

PA