In what will be one of the biggest tests yet of the Vodafone brand's pervasive appeal, J-Phone will replace its J-Sky mobile internet brand with the Vodafone moniker from October 1st. Vodafone's Japanese subsidiary will also begin selling services, including its wildly successful Sha-mail picture messaging and Video Sha-mail, under the Vodafone Live! name over its WCDMA network. Web access services similar to those elsewhere around the world, and GPRS roaming with Germany, the UK and Spain, will also be on offer via a new handset, the triband GSM/WCDMA V801SA, made by Sanyo.

Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific, Vodafone New Zealand has indicated plans to roll out an operational 3G network within the next 18 months, with initial trials possible during the next six months. However, Vodafone Australia, with whom Vodafone NZ is likely to coordinate 3G infrastructure procurement (Ericsson is hotly tipped), is more cautious. That befits its position as the country's number three carrier (Vodafone NZ is number one) and the relative sizes of the two countries. Vodafone Australia has said that it is not looking to launch 3G services before mid-2005.