Japan's biggest wireless operator, NTT DoCoMo, Monday said it has formally asked the Japanese government for permission to begin the world's first commercial third-generation (3G) service on Oct. 1.

The service, dubbed FOMA, will debut in Tokyo on that date if Japan's Minister of Posts and Telecommunications gives the required approvals. FOMA has been undergoing trials with thousands of Japanese mobile phone users since May. The trial is scheduled to be completed on Sept. 30, and DoCoMo Monday said the system performs properly under "real-world conditions." A full commercial launch of the wideband code division multiple access- (WCDMA) based service will initially take place in the Tokyo area only. DoCoMo will then expand service to Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and Nagoya by December, and to major cities nationwide before the middle of next year. The operator is billing the service as a high-speed wireless voice and data service incorporating I-mode, with landline sound quality, 64Kbps digital video communications, up to 384Kbps download speeds, e-mail, and the ability to connect a PC to the Net via a FOMA handset. Handsets vary, with one supporting video communication and another specializing in high-speed data communications.