TOKYO -- NTT Docomo's operating profit likely slumped 5% on the year to just under 550 billion yen ($4.82 billion) for the six months through September as the Japanese carrier used cheap plans to hold on to customers in a fiercely competitive market.
The apparent decline, the wireless provider's first for the period in three years, came despite a slight increase seen in operating revenue from the year-earlier 2.28 trillion yen. Upgrades from feature phones to smartphones by current subscribers lifted data revenue, while income from the finance and payment services business grew thanks to broader adoption of Docomo credit cards.
