imode

imode is a proprietary mobile ISP and portal service from NTT DoCoMo, Japan, with about 50 million subscribers. For imode, DoCoMo adopted the Internet model and protocol. imode uses compact HTML (cHTML) as a page description language. The structure of cHTML means that the user can view traditional HTML and imode sites can be inspected with ordinary Internet web browsers. This is in contrast to WAP, where HTML pages must be translated to WML. imode provides Internet service using personal digital cellular-packet (PDC-P) and a subset of HTML 3.0 for content description.

imode is a packet-switched service (always connected, as long as the user’s handset is reached by imode signal) which includes images, animated images, and colors. In imode, users are charged per packet of downloaded information. imode allows application/content providers to distribute software to cellular phones and also permits users to download appilets (e.g., games). imode uses packet-switched technology for the wireless part of the communication. The wired part of the communication is carried over TCP/IP.

Packet -switched services send and receive information by dividing messages into small blocks called packets and adding headers containing address and control information to each packet. This allows multiple communications to be carried on a communication channel, giving efficient channel usage with low cost. Dopa, DoCoMo’s dedicated data communications service, offers connections to location area network (LAN) and ISPs.

The mobile packet communications system has a network configuration in which a packet communications function is added and integrated into PDC, the digital system for portable and automobile telephones. DoCoMo has developed a data transmission protocol specific to imode. This protocol is used with the PDC-P system. The PDC-P network includes a mobile message packet gateway (M-PGW) to handle conversions between the two protocol formats. Connection between the imode server and the Internet uses TCP/IP. The imode server is regular web server which can reside at NTT DoCoMo or at the enterprise. DoCoMo has been acting as a 1717 portal and normally maintains the imode server.

imode relies on Internet security as provided by SSL/TLS and does not have the ability to
handle server-side authenticated SSL sessions. imode phones are preconfigured with root
collision avoidance keys from public key infrastructure. This will allow for establishment of a server-side authenticated SSL session between the imode device and imode server hosted by the enterprise. imode does not have the capability of handling client-side certifi cates which means that nonrepudiation is not possible with the current implementation of imode.