Smartphone spread boosts NTT DoCoMo

Leading Japanese mobile phone carrier NTT DoCoMo said on April 27 net profit sagged in 2011 due to an additional tax burden, but growing smartphone use had boosted operating profit. Net profit for the year to March slipped 5.4 percent from a year ago to 463.9 billion yen ($5.7 billion), mainly due to changes in the tax code, the company said.
But operating profit rose 3.5 percent to 874.5 billion yen, on sales of 4.2 trillion yen, up 0.4 percent from the previous year.