VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Canada-Armed with nearly 300 attendees at its show, a new way to count the number of wireless data subscribers and strong evidence that Internet Protocol will be the backbone network for wireless data solutions, Wireless Data Forum board members said the industry is evolving.
The Wireless Data Forum-formerly the CDPD Forum-released its first survey benchmarking the progress of wireless data. Growth more than doubled this year, to more than 132,000 wireless data users today, compared with 51,000 users in 1997.
Show sponsors said they were pleased with the number of people who attended the show and the 500-plus people who logged onto the organization’s Web site to access the conference.
Vendors often point to a lack of ubiquitous wireless coverage as a reason more people don’t use wireless data services, while wireless carriers often point to a lack of applications, noted Thomas Kippola, managing partner of the Chasm Group, which consults with high-technology companies to develop marketing strategies. “If neither party steps up, neither party wins.
“Every year you look for the hockey stick, and every year it’s not there,” Kippola said, referring to a high subscriber growth chart that resembles a hockey stick.
Companies initially need to pick a few target segments and build a single product with one or two sets of solutions to develop the wireless data market, Kippola commented. Solutions need to be aimed at stressed-out managers, not technology managers.
While wireless data devices initially won’t replace their wired counterparts, they can supplement them.
Using the IP protocol as the backbone network for wireless data applications will stop companies from arguing over which air-interface protocol is best to deliver that application, said David Sutcliffe, president of Sierra Wireless Inc.
End users need to be assured their wireless data solutions are as secure as their wired ones, said AT&T Wireless Services Inc.’s Kendra VanderMuelen.
Wireless data solutions will be successful when they deliver solutions customers want and when they are inexpensive, simple and secure, agreed Microsoft Corp.’s Randy Granovetter, a newly elected member to the WDF board. Microsoft believes it is important to educate customers about what wireless data solutions can mean to them, Granovetter added.
