NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest mobile phone company, will announce an agreement next week for UK operator MMO2 to offer its i-mode services in the UK next year, according to people close to the deal.

The agreement will give i-mode, DoCoMo's popular internet access service, a presence in one of Europe's most important markets, where DoCoMo had been trying for several months to find a partner after ending its alliance with Hutchison 3G.