WAP
Wireless Application Protocol
After years of research to bring the Internet direct on to
the mobile phone, the wireless communication industry might have just found a
way in Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). WAP is a wireless device platform
that has been developed by the WAP Forum—a forum comprising the leading players
in wireless communications technologies, mobile computing, mobile services, and
other software development and services. The mission of the platform and the
Forum that has developed it is to provide a universal standard for accessing
Internet content and value-added services using wireless devices such as a
mobile phone.
The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)
is a new advanced intelligent messaging service for digital mobile phones and
other mobile terminals that will allow you to see Internet content in special
text format on special WAP-enabled GSM mobile phones. WAP has become the
de facto global industry standard for providing data to wireless handheld
mobile terminals. MMM stands for Mobile
Media Mode and guarantees that the service or product is compliant
with the Wireless Application Protocol.
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WAP phones are
characterised by LARGE LCD display screens and use of the
logo WWW:MMM |
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WAP utilizes the client server philosophy. A WAP session
requires a mobile phone with a micro browser in it and a WAP gateway connected
to the mobile network. The subscriber with the WAP phone first dials into the
WAP service. Once online, he uses the in-built micro browser to make a request
in Wireless Mark-up Language (WML), a variant of HTML, developed bearing in
mind the various characteristics of wireless communication, such as the
bandwidth limitations and the screen size. WAP also specifies a proxy server
that acts as a gateway between the wireless network and the wire-line Internet,
providing protocol translation and optimizing data transfer for the wireless
handset. On-board
memory on a WAP phone can be used for off-line content, enhanced address books,
bookmarks and text-input methods.
Microbrowser
A mobile phone has a in-built WAP 1.1 browser. Like the
HTML browser, on the first use, you have to configure the phone to receive WAP
services. You are needed to enter the following 10 details: default homepage,
type of connection, security specifications, bearer type, dial-up number, IP
address, authentication type, data call type, data call speed, user name, and
password. Once you enter this you have a connection and are ready to connect to
the WAP sites. The browser has a favourite folder to store the addresses of WAP
sites. One can input the texts using the keypad or navigate to a link using the
roller.
The services available through a WAP phone—apart from
voice calls and e-mails—include access to:
- Surf the Internet in text format
·
Get/Buy
stocks
·
Databases
like hotel guides, restaurant guides, telephone directory, recipes, dictionary
can be accessed
·
Transaction
services like ticket reservations, mobile banking, purchase of consumer goods
like books and music CDs, credit card bill enquiry
·
Entertainment
services like karaoke, FM on-air messages, network games, and astrology
·
Other
services like news, weather forecasts, transportation information, tourist
information
WAP is the first truly open standard in the area, removing the barrier of proprietary solutions. WAP will make wireless data boom for the mass market.
Pradheep