Docomo launches new 3G network on Saipan

After a year of planning, Docomo Pacific, Inc. is launching its newest network, 3G, on Saipan, according to an official unveiling of the event yesterday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan.

Docomo Pacific’s president and chief executive officer Jonathan Kriegel told Saipan Tribune that it will work exactly how customers expect 3G to work, enabling faster transmission of data to cell phones.

“Customers can now have access to the 3G network and access data a lot faster and that is what everybody wants these days. The computing power in a mobile phone or tablet goes up, as customers want to be able to use their devices essentially how they use their computers at home,” Kriegel said.

He also noted that people want to access their social networks, respond to emails, and upload photos using mobile devices faster—and 3G provides that to customers.

In a separate statement, Docomo said it upgraded 10 sites on Saipan to 3G.  The upgraded sites will cover the southern, western and central part of Saipan, with plans to upgrade additional sites in the near future to cover the northern and eastern parts of the island.

It said that Docomo made significant infrastructure investments to modify their existing network infrastructure to support 3G calling and data transfer. 3G network technology enables more efficient data packet transfers, support of multimedia applications and other data connections that can be derived from the Internet, all in addition to voice telephone technology that all consumers have become accustomed to.

“Docomo Pacific subscribers can do much more than it can on the old 2G network. 3G technology empowers users with data transfer speeds up to three times as fast as 2G technology. Not only does 3G deliver faster, it also serves richer content straight to your mobile phone. This means your smartphone works smarter and performs richer functions that you can only dream of while on 2G,” said James Nelson, general manager of Docomo Pacific in the CNMI.

Current Docomo subscribers will have to option keep their current 2G MAX 128 data speed at the current rate, or upgrade to MAX PLUS 3G for an additional $10.55 per month for higher speeds. All new activations and subscribers who renew their agreements will be activated on the new MAX PLUS 3G data plan at $24.55 per month.

Kriegel said that prior to the yearlong planning, they had to go through computer base planning to look at where to put the sites and where the areas might have 2G or 3G network, including areas where they might have s 3G network. “Once you plan it you have to buy the equipment, install, and test the equipment.”

Kriegel said that some of their existing customers got a taste of the 3G network two weeks before its official launch on the island.

He also cited the fact that Docomo Pacific is still the only telecommunications company on the islands authorized to sell Apple products.

This helps iPhone users to access more features through Docomo, in which Apple will push all the proper settings to iPhone users so it could be used.

“If you are under Docomo’s network you will be able to access all those features,” Kriegel said.