NTT DoCoMo has signalled it could be interested in mmO2 - if the UK operator used i-mode - DoCoMo's data service.

Keiji Tachikawa, president of the Japanese mobile monster, told the FT he'd be interested in talking to any operator who adopted i-mode. He said he would have to talk to 3, the company's current British partner.

The chances of a bidding war were increased when KPN put out a statement which "reserved the right" to bid again for mmO2.

DoCoMo has a partnership with KPN and the Dutch company uses the i-mode platform.& reg;

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