O2 stopping i-mode mobile internet service?

Not enough handsets, not enough take-up...

17 July 2007 10:41 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

The Guardian is reporting that O2 is going to be "dumping" its i-mode internet services in the UK.

The paper cites low take-up and lack of decent handsets as the reason behind the decision.

i-mode saw an expensive launch 2 years ago but has only managed to attract 260,000 active users, 80 partners and was only available on about a dozen mobiles.

Unlike more fully-featured mobile web offerings from competitors, i-mode is a web-lite application for phones.

i-mode, with an emphasis on entertainment and developed by NTT DoCoMo, offered free surfing at launch, but became a paid for service.

Current subscribers will be offered a transfer over to O2's other mobile internet services when their subscriptions expire.

According to the Guardian, O2 has been contacting manufacturers and content partners to tell them it is going to stop selling i-mode phones from the end of this month.

The service should continue for 2 years.