Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)

The present dynamic environment companies are forced to become more competitive in order to survive. Tightening competition, globalization and changes in customer behaviour present formidable new challenges to the companies. They have to adapt to the changes in the business environment quickly enough and invest in know-how and skilled employees to be able to increase their competitiveness.

One of the most recent and significant changes in the business environment has been the growing demand for mobility. This means that customers, partners and employees should be able to access the information resources and services of a company wherever they are and whenever they want.

In 1998, 73% of European corporation were using some kind of mobile data solution and 91% of those who were not said, that they would within 1999. In addition, 60% of the mobile phone for the mobile data instead of a computer or some other device. These results clearly shows that there is a true demand for access to more information and services on mobile phone.

However, most of the mobile data users currently use only SMS applications, which can provide only limited functionality compared to, for e.g. Internet services. This is now changing. It is estimated that in 2005 there will be about one billion mobile phone subscribers, and that a substantial portion of the phones sold that year will have multimedia capabilities.

This means that there will be an explosion in the number of services that can be provided to a mobile phone. As a result, markets, brands and customer loyalties are on the move. Constant availability is the key concept for future competitiveness.

This will provide a huge market potential for corporations. Besides offering their existing services via a new mobile channel, they have unlimited possibilities to create new services and products for their customers. Users of mobile phones can now be offered relevant personal services that suit their needs. Today people must cary with them at least a wallet, a calendar and a phone. Soon it will be only a phone - a media phone, which enables you to make calls, pay bills, buy tickets, check e-mails and manage your agenda.

What is WAP?

Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is the leading global open standard for applications over wireless networks. WAP provides a uniform technology platform with consistent content formats for delivering Internet and Intranet based information and services to digital mobile phones and other wireless devices.

Why should I be interested in WAP?

WAP creates new business opportunities for corporation by providing a new channel for existing services and the possibility for totally new services that can reach customers in 24 hrs a day wherever they are. Since WAP is an open protocol for wireless messanging, it provides the same technology to all vendors regardless of the network system. This means that there will be WAP complaint terminals from several manufacturers. Also the server technology is open, so operators and companies can select from a wide range of products. The common standard offers economies of scale, encouraging manufacturers, application developers and content providers to invest in developing compatible products.

Which Devices can be used with it?

It accomodates handheld digital wireless devices such as mobile phones, pagers, smartphones and communicators.

How can I benefit from WAP?

Companies can offer end-users new mobile services that make everyday life much more convenient and are easily accessed by a mobile phone.

The telecommunication industry avoids overlapping costs and investments thanks to the common, open platform and tool for wireless messanging.

Operators can differentiate themselves by launching new and intriguing services. Developers and content providers are able to access all protocols and carriers with one product.

How WAP works?

Someone with a WAP-compliant phone uses the in-built micro-browser to make a request in for information or service. This request ispassed to a WAP Gateway that then retrieves the information from an INternet server wither in standard HTML format or preferably directly prepared for wireless terminals using WML. If the content being retreived is in HTML format, afilter in the WAP Server may try to translate it into WML. The requested information is then sent from the WAP Gateway to the WAP client, using whatever mobile network bearer service is available and most appropriate.

WAP is beneficial for several reasons:

• It provides a standardized way of linking the Internet to mobile devices.
  
  
• WAP is a new technology, with its open source code readily available. This means that a wide range of products will be available in the future.
  
  
• Microbrowser-based services and applications reside temporarily on servers, not permanently in phones. Devices using WAP-based microbrowsers can access an array of innovative, value-added services such as: Customer care and provisioning, Message notification and call management, E-mail, Value Added Services and unified messaging. Mapping and location services, Weather and traffic alerts, News, Sports and information services, E-commerce, stock transactions and banking services, and Corporate intranet applications.
  
  
• For an organisation that needs to have to lot of peoplein the field, WAP offers an economical communication solution. Telecommuters need not carry a laptop. Carrying a cell phone instead of a laptop would lead to savings in acquisition and maintenance. The users of the cell phones will no longer worry about software upgrades, computer repairs or similar hassles related with mobile, delicate, sophisticated hardware.
  
  The users eliminate all the hassles of situating the laptop somewhere, opening up the laptop, hooking up the cell phone to the laptop, starting it up, logging on. With the cell phone, as soon as the person dails and connects, a navigation menu gives him/her access to whatever features are installed on the server. A person can call up the WAP server and pull his/her e-mail, send e-mail, check the address book, check the scheduler, chat and conference. These features turn a cellular phone into a wireless universal communication device. Voice can also be used through the WAP server, which enables a person to call long distance charges. This leads to savings in long distance charges.
  
  
• The WAP standard will allow developers to develop once and content providers to publish once for all users across all protocols and all carriers.

Market for WAP

The potential market for WAP includes today 300 million users of wireless phones and devices which is expected to double next year. With nearly the entire wireless industry behind WAP, it provides the necessary technology for software developers and content providers to develop, deploy and support applications for users of WAP enabled wireless devices. This represents enormous potential revenue gains for application developers and a previously untapped market for content providers.