Jason Dunn
05-10-2002, 02:00 AM
<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,98883,tk,dn050802X,00.asp">http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,98883,tk,dn050802X,00.asp</a><br /><br />Do you want fries with that Pocket PC? Interesting concept, and I don't know enough about the Japanese market to know if it will succeed. As far as the North American market is concerned, if they try it here, it will succeed only if the billing model is transparent and simple. Still, I wonder how many people will pay for this? I'd be inclined to think that they would see higher use if it was free and the service was simply offered as another benefit of eating there (are there really benefits to eating at McDonlads?). What do you think?<br /><br />"Softbank is planning to provide public Internet Protocol telephony services and wireless Internet access at McDonald's fast-food restaurants in Japan, using its Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line infrastructure, the two companies announced Tuesday. They aim to offer the IP telephony service in as many restaurants as possible in 10 cities where soccer World Cup games will be held, and will try to be ready by the opening of World Cup on May 31, says Yasuyuki Yagi, president and chief operating officer of McDonald's Japan.<br /><br />For the first six months, the public IP telephony service will be free of charge within Japan and to the U.S., says Masayoshi Son, president and chief executive officer of Softbank. Then, Softbank plans to charge $0.08 for four minutes, he says."