Although some rumblings continue over Geoworks Corp.’s licensing program for Wireless Application Protocol technology, WAP-related announcements continued making news at last week’s GSM World Congress in Cannes.
Phone.com Inc. announced it formed a WAP interoperability testing lab, a software upgrade preview center and the latest version of its WAP microbrowser technology.
The company said it will establish an interoperability testing lab in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by April, where companies may test various combinations of WAP gateways and microbrowsers.
Content providers will be able to test applications on various devices as well, the company said.
WAP interoperability has been an ongoing issue as the standard matures. Several carriers have reported problems using WAP browsers from one vendor on the WAP server of another.
As part of the interoperability testing lab, Phone.com introduced a demonstration and compliance preview center supporting WAP version 1.2. Wireless operators will be able to observe tests and demonstrations of WAP 1.2 applications on WAP 1.2 prototype handsets against a Phone.com WAP gateway, the company said. It also is providing an early access version of its WAP 1.2 software developer kit.
In addition, Phone.com introduced version 4.1 of its UP.Browser microbrowser based on WAP version 1.1. Siemens, Samsung and Sagem have incorporated the technology in their handsets to date.
Nortel Networks and Phone.com Inc. announced they will work together to integrate Phone.com’s WAP technology with Nortel’s Global System for Mobile communications and General Packet Radio Services platforms.
In doing so, the two said they hope to create interfaces between Nortel and Phone.com technologies to implement WAP over GPRS. Initial cooperation will focus on services like billing, prepaid, location-based and push information.
Meanwhile, several European carriers announced commercial WAP deployments.
Sonofon of Denmark said it plans to integrate Nokia Corp.’s Artus Messaging Platform to offer WAP services to customers. Also in Denmark, carrier Mobilix said it will use Nokia’s complete GPRS network infrastructure, including a WAP Gateway extension to the Artus Messaging Platform.
Also using Nokia’s WAP solution is France Telecom Mobiles, now offering customers Internet-based information services. The two began a WAP service trial last year.
Services include general news, weather, stocks, banking, directory services, travel information, entertainment, horoscopes and lottery and gambling results. The solution uses Nokia WAP infrastructure in the network and Nokia’s 7110 WAP-enabled media phone as the client device.
Separately, Nokia introduced its Artus MAX server, a WAP portal feature carriers can use to offer customized and branded WAP services.
Finally, Swisscom and MIRS of Israel have implemented Phone.com’s WAP Server Suite. Swisscom is a Global System for Mobile communications operator, while MIRS uses integrated Digital Enhanced Network technology.
Apparently responding to recent criticism of Geoworks’ licensing program demanding royalty payments for intellectual property it claims it holds on WAP technology, the WAP Forum issued a press release calling such activities a non-issue.
“Each individual member requires standards to ensure interoperability for the success of its own business,” said Greg Williams, WAP Forum chairman.
“That is exactly what the WAP Forum is doing in providing a process for companies to contribute to the standard. Intellectual property cross-licensing arrangements and royalty payments are common in the wireless industry and are a non-issue for the WAP Forum and the growth of the standard.”
