The document discusses the need for and benefits of the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). It began as an effort by a consortium of companies to develop an open standard for accessing the internet and applications from wireless devices. WAP addresses the constraints of wireless networks like limited bandwidth and the constraints of wireless devices like small screens and limited processing power. By being optimized for wireless networks and devices, WAP provides benefits like applications that work across many devices and networks, simpler applications for small screens, and support for new features of wireless networks and devices.
Mobile networks are now dominated by data. If we rewind back to a decade ago, smartphones and application stores were unheard of. Twitter and Facebook were not in existence and YouTube wasn’t as popular. Culturally, consumers are valuing the need to be socially connected in the present day Internet.
The traditional cellular network cannot cope with the increase in data and signaling traffic that is generated and thus is driving carriers in the direction of offload. The Phase 1 approach was centered on immediately relieving congestion on the network by encouraging offload to any available Wi-Fi hotspot. In this second part of the five part offload series, we draw attention to Direct Internet Offload. The concept of Direct Internet Offload is nothing new, but has taken a slight shift considering Wi-Fi’s popularity. And the flexibility to integrate them into mainstream network design offers transformative opportunities for carriers without losing sight of the commitment to make the user experience secure and controlled.
Mobile networks are now dominated by data. If we rewind back to a decade ago, smartphones and application stores were unheard of. Twitter and Facebook were not in existence and YouTube wasn’t as popular. Culturally, consumers are valuing the need to be socially connected in the present day Internet.
The traditional cellular network cannot cope with the increase in data and signaling traffic that is generated and thus is driving carriers in the direction of offload. The Phase 1 approach was centered on immediately relieving congestion on the network by encouraging offload to any available Wi-Fi hotspot. In this second part of the five part offload series, we draw attention to Direct Internet Offload. The concept of Direct Internet Offload is nothing new, but has taken a slight shift considering Wi-Fi’s popularity. And the flexibility to integrate them into mainstream network design offers transformative opportunities for carriers without losing sight of the commitment to make the user experience secure and controlled.
Wi-Fi for a Connected World Towards Next Generation NetworksGreen Packet
Wi-Fi has established itself as one of the most popular and widespread technology today reaching millions of homes, schools, enterprises and hotspot locations worldwide. Communication has become an essential part of our lives. The ever-growing Wi-Fi networks combined with integrated Wi-Fi chipsets into thousands of devices has matured and ensured that hundreds of millions of users worldwide now make regular use of Wi-Fi to access the Internet.
The following white paper, discusses the Wi-Fi effects of connectedness shifting from people to people into the connecting a billion of devices. Today’s network consists of multiple access network technologies playing a different role in different contexts. In the race to smart next generation networks, secondary markets in embedded mobile is beginning to garner attention with greater ambitions into tertiary markets of cloud-based solutions, where anything and almost everything will be connected, regardless of geographical boundaries with the ultimate aim of cost effective development and implementation.
5G Technology stands for the 5th Generation Mobile technology. 5G is a next major phase of mobile telecommunications standards beyond the 4G standards. 5G is expected to provide speed upto 10Gbit/s, wider frequency band,
high increased peak bit rate, high system spectral efficiency, ubiquitous connectivity and a significant increase in QoS as
compared to current 4G technology. Evolution of mobile communication technology to 5G is discussed in this review, followed by protocol stack and 5G architecture. A wide comparison is given between the various generations so as to compare why 5G technology is better and needed.
Today, mobile phone and tablet seems like fashion accessories in our lives. Huge popularity of mobile phones and tablets, those drives mobile technology developed in very fast speed. Actually, it has made a great impact on business world. This kind easy and connective device also extended to our social life, lots of innovative mobile apps it makes life easier and efficient.
Multimode, The Key Ingredient For Ubiquitous ConnectivityGreen Packet
Users today are demanding ubiquitous connectivity, an ultimatum the industry still struggles to achieve. The good news is that there are positive developments in this direction through the evolution towards multimode as far as networks and devices are concerned. However, what is lacking is the absence of a mechanism that unifies multiple networks and devices for a seamless
experience. This paper discusses the mechanism required to think on behalf of networks and devices so that users enjoy a truly ubiquitous connectivity.
Emerging Technologies of Future Multimedia Coding, Analysis and TransmissionSitha Sok
Emerging Technologies of Future Multimedia Coding, Analysis and Transmission.
Overview of the Second Generation AVS Video Coding Standard (AVS2).
An Introduction to High Efficiency Video Coding Range Extensions.
Multi⁃Layer Extension of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) Standard
To measure / determine the brand image, perceptions, attitudes and behaviour of the target audience with regard to the Nokia Android.
To interpret the results of the measurements based on statistical analysis.
TOWARDS FUTURE 4G MOBILE NETWORKS: A REAL-WORLD IMS TESTBEDijngnjournal
In the near future, current mobile communication networks will converge towards an All-IP network in order to provide richer applications, stronger customer satisfaction, andfurther return on investment for the industry. However, such a convergence induces a strong level of complexity when handling interoperability between different operators and different handset vendors. In this context, the 3GPP consortium is working on the standardization of the convergence, and IMS is emerging as the internationally agreed upon standard that is multi-operator and multi-vendor. In this paper, we shed further light on the subtleties of IMS, and we delineate a blueprint for the implementation of a real-world
IMS testbed. An open source Presence Server is deployed as well. The operation of the IMS testbed and the Presence Server are checked to assess their conformance with 3GPP standards. A simple third party application is developed on top the IMS testbed to further assess its operation.
5G technologies will change the way most high-bandwidth users access their phones. With 5G pushed over a VOIP-enabled device, people will experience a level of call volume and data transmission never experienced before.5G technology is offering the services in Product Engineering, Documentation, supporting electronic transactions (e-Payments, e-transactions) etc. As the customer becomes more and more aware of the mobile phone technology, he or she will look for a decent package all together, including all the advanced features a cellular phone can have. Hence the search for new technology is always the main motive of the leading cell phone giants to out innovate their competitors. Recently apple has produced shivers all around the electronic world by launching its new handset, the I-phone. Features that are getting embedded in such a small piece of electronics are huge.
Wi-Fi for a Connected World Towards Next Generation NetworksGreen Packet
Wi-Fi has established itself as one of the most popular and widespread technology today reaching millions of homes, schools, enterprises and hotspot locations worldwide. Communication has become an essential part of our lives. The ever-growing Wi-Fi networks combined with integrated Wi-Fi chipsets into thousands of devices has matured and ensured that hundreds of millions of users worldwide now make regular use of Wi-Fi to access the Internet.
The following white paper, discusses the Wi-Fi effects of connectedness shifting from people to people into the connecting a billion of devices. Today’s network consists of multiple access network technologies playing a different role in different contexts. In the race to smart next generation networks, secondary markets in embedded mobile is beginning to garner attention with greater ambitions into tertiary markets of cloud-based solutions, where anything and almost everything will be connected, regardless of geographical boundaries with the ultimate aim of cost effective development and implementation.
5G Technology stands for the 5th Generation Mobile technology. 5G is a next major phase of mobile telecommunications standards beyond the 4G standards. 5G is expected to provide speed upto 10Gbit/s, wider frequency band,
high increased peak bit rate, high system spectral efficiency, ubiquitous connectivity and a significant increase in QoS as
compared to current 4G technology. Evolution of mobile communication technology to 5G is discussed in this review, followed by protocol stack and 5G architecture. A wide comparison is given between the various generations so as to compare why 5G technology is better and needed.
Today, mobile phone and tablet seems like fashion accessories in our lives. Huge popularity of mobile phones and tablets, those drives mobile technology developed in very fast speed. Actually, it has made a great impact on business world. This kind easy and connective device also extended to our social life, lots of innovative mobile apps it makes life easier and efficient.
Multimode, The Key Ingredient For Ubiquitous ConnectivityGreen Packet
Users today are demanding ubiquitous connectivity, an ultimatum the industry still struggles to achieve. The good news is that there are positive developments in this direction through the evolution towards multimode as far as networks and devices are concerned. However, what is lacking is the absence of a mechanism that unifies multiple networks and devices for a seamless
experience. This paper discusses the mechanism required to think on behalf of networks and devices so that users enjoy a truly ubiquitous connectivity.
Emerging Technologies of Future Multimedia Coding, Analysis and TransmissionSitha Sok
Emerging Technologies of Future Multimedia Coding, Analysis and Transmission.
Overview of the Second Generation AVS Video Coding Standard (AVS2).
An Introduction to High Efficiency Video Coding Range Extensions.
Multi⁃Layer Extension of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) Standard
To measure / determine the brand image, perceptions, attitudes and behaviour of the target audience with regard to the Nokia Android.
To interpret the results of the measurements based on statistical analysis.
TOWARDS FUTURE 4G MOBILE NETWORKS: A REAL-WORLD IMS TESTBEDijngnjournal
In the near future, current mobile communication networks will converge towards an All-IP network in order to provide richer applications, stronger customer satisfaction, andfurther return on investment for the industry. However, such a convergence induces a strong level of complexity when handling interoperability between different operators and different handset vendors. In this context, the 3GPP consortium is working on the standardization of the convergence, and IMS is emerging as the internationally agreed upon standard that is multi-operator and multi-vendor. In this paper, we shed further light on the subtleties of IMS, and we delineate a blueprint for the implementation of a real-world
IMS testbed. An open source Presence Server is deployed as well. The operation of the IMS testbed and the Presence Server are checked to assess their conformance with 3GPP standards. A simple third party application is developed on top the IMS testbed to further assess its operation.
5G technologies will change the way most high-bandwidth users access their phones. With 5G pushed over a VOIP-enabled device, people will experience a level of call volume and data transmission never experienced before.5G technology is offering the services in Product Engineering, Documentation, supporting electronic transactions (e-Payments, e-transactions) etc. As the customer becomes more and more aware of the mobile phone technology, he or she will look for a decent package all together, including all the advanced features a cellular phone can have. Hence the search for new technology is always the main motive of the leading cell phone giants to out innovate their competitors. Recently apple has produced shivers all around the electronic world by launching its new handset, the I-phone. Features that are getting embedded in such a small piece of electronics are huge.
Content personalisation is becoming more prevalent. A site, it's content and/or it's products, change dynamically according to the specific needs of the user. SEO needs to ensure we do not fall behind of this trend.
Lightning Talk #9: How UX and Data Storytelling Can Shape Policy by Mika Aldabaux singapore
How can we take UX and Data Storytelling out of the tech context and use them to change the way government behaves?
Showcasing the truth is the highest goal of data storytelling. Because the design of a chart can affect the interpretation of data in a major way, one must wield visual tools with care and deliberation. Using quantitative facts to evoke an emotional response is best achieved with the combination of UX and data storytelling.
Succession “Losers”: What Happens to Executives Passed Over for the CEO Job?
By David F. Larcker, Stephen A. Miles, and Brian Tayan
Stanford Closer Look Series
Overview:
Shareholders pay considerable attention to the choice of executive selected as the new CEO whenever a change in leadership takes place. However, without an inside look at the leading candidates to assume the CEO role, it is difficult for shareholders to tell whether the board has made the correct choice. In this Closer Look, we examine CEO succession events among the largest 100 companies over a ten-year period to determine what happens to the executives who were not selected (i.e., the “succession losers”) and how they perform relative to those who were selected (the “succession winners”).
We ask:
• Are the executives selected for the CEO role really better than those passed over?
• What are the implications for understanding the labor market for executive talent?
• Are differences in performance due to operating conditions or quality of available talent?
• Are boards better at identifying CEO talent than other research generally suggests?
This PowerPoint Presentation describes about the concept of Wireless application Protocol. The Protocol is a set of Rules that must be followed in Computer Technology. In this PPT, We can clearly know about the Definition of WAP- Wireless Application Protocol and its purpose. We can easily learn about the need of WAP. It also defines some Wireless Networks works in WAP Architecture.
Companies should
strive to incorporate more agility and SOFT in their
processes and IT systems, which will enable them to
respond faster to changes in customer requirements and
market conditions.
A Unique Application to Reserve Doctor Appointment by Using Wireless Applicat...IJMER
WAP is a standardized technology for cross-platform, distributed computing, very similar to the Internet’s combination of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). WAP could be described as a set of protocols that has inherited its characteristics and functionality from Internet standards and from standards developed for wireless services by some of the world’s leading companies in the business of wireless telecommunications. This application will help patients, the normal doctor and the medical director. The patient can reserve an appointment. The normal doctor can view and print the lists of patient appointment under his responsibility. The medical director can add new departments, add new doctors, and also can change the password to access the database. He can also modify data and working schedules of doctors assigned. He can add new patients and can have privilege access to transfer any patient appointment to another doctor. This Application which has been developed by using WAP was the first of its kind here, where software has been developed.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Francesca Gottschalk - How can education support child empowerment.pptxEduSkills OECD
Francesca Gottschalk from the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation presents at the Ask an Expert Webinar: How can education support child empowerment?
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
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c h a p t e r
What Is WAP?
1
IN THIS CHAPTER
• The Need for WAP
• Benefits of WAP
• Recap
The influence of wireless technology is seen everywhere these days. Whether it is
sending text messages, making wireless telephone calls, accessing remote infor-
mation, or connecting to the Internet, wireless technology is having a major
impact on people’s lives all across the globe. Early on the framers of wireless tech-
nology realized that defining a common set of wireless protocols would help put
wireless technology development on the fast track, and help prevent the propri-
etary bottlenecks often faced in other areas of development.
In 1997, Omnipoint, a U.S.-based network operator, issued a tender for the
definition of a common standard for the supply of mobile information services.
Nokia, Motorola, Ericsson, and Phone.com joined forces to answer this problem.
From this beginning, the now famous WAP Forum was born.
The Forum, now consisting of over 450 members representing a wide range of
wireless network operators, manufacturers of handheld devices and software com-
panies, set out to develop an open standard that would enable wireless devices,
such as wireless phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), to easily access
advanced telephony services and, more importantly, the content and applications
available on the World Wide Web. The evolving standard that has emerged from
the efforts of the Forum is known as the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).
The protocol was developed, and continues to be developed, based on several
goals that the WAP Forum established for itself:
• It should leverage existing Internet standards and technology wherever possible.
• Where needed, it should promote new and open standards.
1
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2 Chapter 1 • What Is WAP?
• It should work across all wireless network technologies.
• It should enable the creation of content and applications across a wide range
of device types.
Before jumping into the framework of the WAP protocol suite, it is important to
have a broad overview of both the business and technological necessities as well as
the benefits of the WAP, including a high-level discussion of the architecture.
N The Need for WAP
According to studies conducted by market research firms like the
Strategis Group and Cahners In-Stat Group, the number of wire-
less services subscribers across the globe will reach anywhere from
1 to 1.3 billion by the year 2004. An even larger number of wire-
less communication–enabled phones, handheld computers, and
other devices will be in use, and they will require access to the
content and services expected by today’s Internet user. The stud-
ies also predict that most of those phones and wireless devices will
have multimedia capabilities, mandating access to an even richer
source of content and applications.
These studies, combined with the expected improvements in
the wireless infrastructure and technology, and the need of con-
sumers to access information anytime and anywhere, caught the
attention of many companies, including a U.S.-based named
Openwave (at the time known as Unwired Planet and later called
Phone.com) and a Japanese service operator named NTT
DoCoMo. Both of these companies decided to leverage the World
Wide Web infrastructure to provide users of mobile phones and
other wireless devices access to the content available on the
Internet.
Openwave came up with the Hand-held Device Markup
Language (HDML), which was essentially a scaled-down version
of HyperText Markup Language (HTML). It was optimized for
effective transfer of Internet content to a mobile device over wire-
less networks using Phone.com’s Hand-held Device Transport
Protocol (HDTP). A minibrowser, much like a scaled-down version
of Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer, was used to render the
HDML content. A gateway server, called the UP.Link Server, was
used to convert HDTP into HTTP and vice versa.
Similarly, NTT DoCoMo started marketing a service called
I-mode in Japan that offers its subscribers access to games, elec-
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The Need for WAP 3
tronic postcards, and hit lists services. The service gained a lot of
acceptance in Japan and the number of subscribers increased at
a rate of over a quarter of a million per week.
The success of these and many similar ventures sparked the
interest of several large companies in the wireless market. These
companies decided to develop an open standard to replace HDML
and I-mode.
Interoperability
Looking back at the success of the Web, the single most important
reason the Internet became so popular so fast was its dedication
to open standards and architecture. This openness encouraged
many companies to work together to develop Web specifications,
and be sure about their investment.
The same is true in the wireless universe as well. Any given
solution is based on products and services provided by a diverse
range of companies. In order to publish a company’s roster on a
mobile device, there might be a need for an Apache Web server,
an Openwave gateway, network services from Sprint, a mobile
device from Nokia, and a minibrowser from Openwave. Imagine
requiring all of these vendors to support many different propri-
etary protocols from each vendor involved in delivering a com-
plete wireless solution.
There was obviously a need for an open standard, formed by
a consortium of industry experts representing a wide range of
vendors. A device manufacturer needs to know that its mobile
phone will work on any kind of air interface and will let the user
access information from any kind of content source. The same is
true for service providers, who need to be sure that their invest-
ments in network infrastructure can be capitalized in the future.
They need to ensure that software vendors and device manufac-
turers are developing products that will interoperate within their
networks.
The WAP specification guarantees that any WAP-compliant ele-
ment of a wireless solution will work with any other WAP-compliant
component, just as the Internet specifications guarantee that any
browser from any software vendor can render and present content
accessed from any kind of Web server.
Growth of the Wireless Market
A great benefit of developing the WAP specification was the
encouragement of major industry players to communicate and
facilitate technical exchanges between the best minds in the
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4 Chapter 1 • What Is WAP?
industry. This interchange allowed the WAP Forum to become
very successful in drawing attention to the wireless market.
Scattered efforts by individual vendors to market their proprietary
protocols and products would not have caused this much indus-
try commotion. A single, concentrated effort was needed to get
everyone’s attention away from the Internet and focus it toward
a powerful new mode of reaching millions of users.
Today many organizations are talking about WAP-enabling
their Internet operations, and there is already a wireless or WAP divi-
sion in most large organizations that have an Internet presence.
Access to the WAP specification is open, and there are hundreds of
companies implementing products and services based on WAP to
help bring the power of the Internet to the mobile devices of today.
If it were not for WAP, this revolution might not have started.
New Needs of a New Market
The wireless market is vastly different from the Internet market,
which is dominated by relatively sophisticated users accessing
content and services from a desktop browser. The needs and
expectations of consumers in the wireless world are drastically dif-
ferent, and had to be addressed by a standard other than the
World Wide Web.
SIZE OF THE MARKET
The number of users who need access to content and services
through their mobile devices is predicted to grow at a phenomenal
rate. Soon the market will become so large that new, optimized
means of fulfilling wireless needs will have to be developed. The
Internet standards of today have evolved out of the desire of a few
physicists wanting to exchange static documents across simple net-
works in the 1970s. Even the growth of the Internet market itself is
pushing the limits of what HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and
a simple markup language like HTML can accomplish.
There was a need for development of a new standard based
on a more efficient protocol optimized to address the needs of a
rapidly growing market. At the same time, it needed to be simple
enough to gain rapid acceptance in the developer community so
that application development could keep pace with the growing
needs of consumers.
SIMPLICITY
The most important feature that all consumers of wireless services
will desire in their applications is simplicity. Operating a wireless
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The Need for WAP 5
device, a mobile phone, for example, is more cumbersome than
moving a mouse and navigating through a hypertext document. As
devices evolve and become more sophisticated, users will also desire
more feature-rich applications, but the environments in which these
applications will be utilized—while driving to work on a busy high-
way, waiting for food in a restaurant, or sitting in a boring meet-
ing—will still require that they be simple and easy to use.
There was a need to develop a new framework for developing
applications that discouraged complexity. WAP fulfills that need
superbly, by basing the markup language used to develop WAP
applications on the Extensible Markup Language (XML). XML
needs only a small number of tags to develop simple yet feature-
rich applications.
SUPPORT FOR NEW FEATURES
The consumers in the new wireless market need access to new and
different services, and developers need a way to easily develop
and incorporate these advanced features into their wireless appli-
cations. The mobility of a wireless subscriber and capabilities of
the device, including access to telephony features and services of the
operator, all lend themselves to the development of more feature-
rich applications that are not yet possible on the Internet.
The WAP protocol will continue to evolve to provide applica-
tion developers a means to access more advanced capabilities of
mobile devices. There will also be provisions to access the
advanced services of wireless network operators through a con-
sistent interface.
DIFFERENT USAGE PATTERNS
The average Internet user is familiar with accessing the Web from
the comfort of his or her home by dialing out through a modem
to access a service provider. In contrast, the mobile user will want
wireless applications to work just like mobile phones work, like
placing a telephone call, which means instant and reliable access
to very specific content or services, based on the current needs of
the user. Additionally, these connections will usually be brief. This
usage pattern will repeat over a period of time. Also, unlike the
traditional Internet user, who is often able to talk on the phone or
sip a cup of coffee at a study table while waiting for a page to
download, wireless customers will interact with the services in
short but very concentrated and exclusive sessions.
The current Internet standards fall short when compared to
the usage patterns of a wireless network. In addition, wireless
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6 Chapter 1 • What Is WAP?
devices have many limitations in their capabilities. Both of these
constraints drive the need for new specifications to deliver appli-
cations and content for a new set of usage patterns and device
limitations.
Constraints of the Wireless Network
The network infrastructure carrying today’s wireless communica-
tion is constrained in many ways. First and foremost is limited
bandwidth due to the scarcity of an available frequency spectrum
for radio wave transmission. To make the problem worse, the
higher the bandwidth of the network, the more work has to be
performed by the wireless device, which results in a more rapid
drain of the device’s battery.
A consequence of this constraint is a much higher latency in
wireless networks as compared to their wired counterparts. Long
delays are common in wireless transmission, and coupled with
connection instability and less predictable network availability,
they mandate a new set of protocols.
Internet standards like HTTP and Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
become extremely inefficient over these mobile networks. They
require a lot of handshaking between the two communicating
network nodes, and messages are mostly sent in text format with-
out any compression. If used unaltered for mobile communica-
tions, they would result in a very unpalatable user experience.
On the other hand, WAP uses the limited bandwidth of wire-
less networks much more effectively by encoding the messages in
compressed binary format before transmission. WAP sessions are
designed to handle connection instability and can operate over a
wide range of wireless transport mechanisms. As new, higher-
speed networks become available, WAP will only help increase
data throughput to create a much more pleasant experience for
the mobile user.
Limitations of Wireless Devices
New models of desktop computers hit the market every few
months, rendering relatively recent models obsolete. Central
Processing Units (CPUs) and clock speeds are getting faster every
year, with current versions already breaking the 1 gigahertz (GHz)
barrier. Physical memory keeps getting cheaper and more com-
pact, with the average desktop computer of today equipped with
at least 64 megabytes (MB) of random-access memory (RAM).
New generations of video graphics cards and monitors present
users with an unprecedented quality of onscreen pictures and
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Benefits of WAP 7
graphics. Additionally, more ergonomic keyboards and a more
evolved and capable species of mouse make users’ interaction
with their PCs more pleasant.
It is not exactly the same with a small mobile phone that can
fit in a front pocket. Just the mere restriction in the size of the
device imposes practical limitations on the bells and whistles that
can be incorporated into these wireless devices. The more minus-
cule the phone is, the more it appeals to the public. Additionally
there is a mobility factor. Since mobile phones are supposed to be
exactly what their name suggests—mobile—the limited life of a
small, inconspicuous battery has to be utilized efficiently. All this
means a lower-power, smaller, and slower CPU and much less
physical memory. The display size and quality are also no match
for a desktop monitor. The display has to be small and less
demanding of the limited power of the device, which means less
saucy graphics and a constrained text display. The input device
generally consists of a few additional buttons on a normal phone
dial pad. There is definitely no room for a mouse.
Again, HTML, the de facto authoring language of the Internet,
would not work here. It is written for content display in browsers
running on user PCs with a larger display area. HTML also
assumes that the user has access to a keyboard or a mouse. Even
though the capabilities of the wireless devices will keep evolving
over time, consumer demand for lightweight gadgets and longer
battery life will limit the power consumption of the CPU, memory,
and display, as will the scarcity of bandwidth.
The Wireless Markup Language (WML), which is a part of the
WAP specifications, is optimized for small screen displays and
navigation. It is also optimized for devices of limited capability
that are most often designed to be operated by a single hand. It
can also be used just as effectively for feature-rich content display
and navigation on devices with bigger displays, including PDAs
and smart phones.
N Benefits of WAP
Developing applications using WAP, as opposed to proprietary
frameworks and languages like HDML and I-mode, has several
benefits for application developers. In addition, WAP develop-
ment benefits the companies that manufacture handheld wireless
devices, network operators or service providers, and the users of
the mobile devices themselves.
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8 Chapter 1 • What Is WAP?
Benefits to Developers
Since WAP is a widely supported wireless application develop-
ment specification, developers can be sure that their applications
will work across a large number of devices, browsers, gateways,
and networks. This is a significant advantage over the older wire-
less model, in which developers had to account for all these vari-
ables in the application code itself. That requirement limited the
reach of the applications, made the code more complex, and
increased the cost of development significantly.
WAP developers also have the advantage of leveraging their
technical skills gained while riding the Internet bandwagon, since
WAP relies on the Web technology infrastructure. The incorpora-
tion of network- and device-specific telephony features into WAP
allows developers an easy means of creating more feature-rich
applications and increases the value proposition to the end user.
The Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS) specification of
WAP allows developers to easily incorporate security features into
their applications, hence extending the type of applications and
content that could be developed or served to their users.
Benefits to Device Manufacturers
Just by adding a WAP-compliant minibrowser with very low
memory and CPU requirements, device manufacturers can signif-
icantly enhance the perceived value of handheld devices for their
customers. Just like they can with a Web browser, users can access
numerous applications and services developed by a large com-
munity of developers. At the same time, the manufacturers are
assured that the browser will work across a wide range of gate-
ways and networks without the incorporation of specific logic on
their part. The end result is a larger market share of wireless
applications and hence increased revenues.
Benefits to Service Providers
Like manufacturers of wireless devices, service providers benefit
from the prospect of offering a better value proposition to their cus-
tomers. By encouraging their customer base to use WAP-compliant
devices and adding support for WAP-compliant gateways them-
selves, they can offer their customers access to a huge number of
applications and content available on the Internet.
Since service providers control the gateway, they can control the
home page of the user also. Working in conjunction with providers
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Benefits of WAP 9
of wireless content and applications like Yahoo and Amazon, they
can generate significant revenue by placing access to these sites as
hot links from the home page of a wireless session. Large wireless
content providers are known to pay tens of millions of dollars to get
a spot on the home pages of the service providers just so their sub-
scribers have an easy means of accessing their wireless site.
Service providers also don’t have to worry about the device
type their subscribers are using in order to offer them access to the
services. The same situation applies to the type of bearer that the
service providers support, since WAP applications are independ-
ent of the air interface. (See Section 2.1.2.6 on bearers.)
Since WAP specifies a standard for accessing network teleph-
ony services, it can easily support application developers trying to
incorporate those services into their applications, once again
increasing the value proposition for their customer base.
Benefits to End-Users
Subscribers probably benefit the most among the four different
classes of WAP users. Theoretically speaking, they can reach any
content on the Web through means of HTML-to-WML formatting
services; how the content developed for a browser running on a
17-inch monitor is rendered on a three-line display of a mobile
phone is another story. A large number of application developers
are developing content and services specifically for wireless
devices using WML, which users with WAP-compliant devices can
interact with in addition to the applications or services offered by
their network operator.
Just like HTML rendering on a browser, WML allows develop-
ers to provide a consistent user interface for their application on
a wide range of devices and browsers. This is a significant value
proposition for the subscribers since they don’t have to learn to
interact with numerous interfaces. There are, however, some
minor differences in how different browsers render the same
WML, but they don’t call for a significant change in human-
application interaction experience.
The end-users will have the choice of numerous handheld
devices as long as they are WAP-compliant, and users will still be
able to access the content and services regardless of the service
provider or the network. Additionally, the security features of
WAP allow customers to be comfortable transacting with secure
wireless applications and exchanging sensitive information like
credit card numbers and passwords.
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10 Chapter 1 • What Is WAP?
N Recap
The WAP Forum has introduced an excellent new technology that
has developed and evolved over its brief lifespan. WAP fills in the
gaps of the wireless applications space, driving it to be quickly
accepted by the industry.
The potential and promise of WAP has benefits for end users,
network operators, wireless device manufacturers, and wireless
application developers. The is the reason most companies with an
Internet presence have a current WAP initiative in their informa-
tion systems departments.
The WAP architecture is discussed in more detail in Chapter 2,
with a thorough look under the hood of the technology that
makes up WAP. All the components that make up the WAP spec-
ifications are reviewed in much greater detail, along with a dis-
cussion of some of the WAP application development frameworks
from different vendors in the market.