NTT DoCoMo Inc. unveiled 14 new third-generation cell phones Thursday ahead of the introduction later this month of mobile number portability in the country.
NTT DoCoMo enhanced entertainment functions in the hope that the industry leader will secure its dominant status in the country's competitive cellular market.
Of the 14, the carrier said 11 are in its 903i series and can have improved music-downloading and game services.
Mobile number portability will debut Oct. 24.
Under the system, users will be allowed to keep the same mobile phone numbers even after switching from one operator to another.
KDDI Corp., the country's No. 2 mobile phone carrier known for its au brand, said in August it would debut 12 new models for fall and winter.
Softbank Corp., which earlier this year bought Vodafone K.K. and renamed it Softbank Mobile Corp. on Oct. 1, said last month it would market 15 new mobile phone models by the end of this year.