Baltimore Technology, the computer security specialist, is to provide the security for Japanese telco giant NTT DoCoMo's i-mode Internet cell phone service.

Although the deal is not exclusive, Baltimore says that it will bolster relations with DoCoMo and will provide an opportunity for Baltimore to showcase its technologies.

Meanwhile DoCoMo says that the deal will allow it to offer other services over its web phone network. Currently it provides access to music and entertainment news over the i-mode phone network.

Each phone with Baltimore's security in place will have a certificate on the phone, according to Baltimore's director of wireless technology, John Fallon. The certificates are already embedded in the 503i series, the latest phone model from DoCoMo.

Baltimore would not reveal how much the deal was worth, but did announce its fourth quarter revenues.

The Irish security firm said it brought in £28.4 million in Q4 last year, an increase of over 40 per cent from the previous quarter, and triple that of the same period in 1999.

License revenues were also up, gaining 63 per cent on Q3 to reach £16.8 million. Again, this was more than three times the figure for the same period the year before. ®