(WAP) Wireless Application Protocol, what is that?One
of the latest mobilephone techno jargon is WAP. You have heard of it. You
might have a new phone that supports it. And so what is it?
Wireless
Application Protocol, is a technology used to enable mobilephones to access
and interact with services on the Internet, not necessarily just the www. A few
of the existing services are news, stocks and TOTO/ 4D results etc. So how is
this different from "info page" and "info dial" or whatever
service that sends information to you now and then? WAP is interactive. You are
supposed to be able to choose what you want. For example, instead of getting
every stock on the board, you get to choose your own stock info. The details on
how that is done depends on implementation and network operators.
Another
possible application is to check the exchange rate up to the minute.
Currently,
there are not many WAP applications. Furthermore, you must subscribe to
"data plans". WAP is not a "data" service. Data
services lets you surf the web from a portable computer hooked to the GSM
network. You may be using a card modem, a GSM phone with PCMCIA modem, a GSM
phone with the serial or IR port or whatever.
You will see the web pages as per
a normal computer. WAP is different. WAP standards will allow for micro-browsers
to be incorporated into the mobilephone. With that, you will be able to use
Internet services that has been customised to fit the LCD of the mobilephone.
Using
WAP does not require any more equipment than a WAP enabled phone. For example,
WAP technology allows you to send and receive email on your mobilephone, much
like using SMS.
Cost?
Generally,
the "data plans" will cost you $15 to $20 to register and $10 to $20
per month to use. The price is dependent on the exact package you take.
The
Future of WAP?
Does
WAP has a future? Maybe the exact protocol that we have today will be
superceded. But as the mobilephone quickly evolves into a personal data tool,
we can expect better WAP standards.
Related
News Articles
WAP
Service by ADAM
Mobile
Internet via WAP from Maxis Mobile
Celcom
launches its mobile Internet service called Celcom GSM WAP
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