OXFORD, United Kingdom-One of Europe’s leading Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Internet service providers (ISPs), Mobile Future, has gone bankrupt, blaming lack of demand for its products and services. The company built its reputation on developing a sub-10-second WAP connectivity service for use by customers of the U.K.-based Woolwich Open Plan WAP banking service.
First signs of trouble appeared only days ago when a statement by the directors said anticipated demand for its products had not materialized and the company’s funding position may become untenable. This followed shortly after the company signed a deal with Sony Ericsson to launch a color WAP football service called “People on the Pitch,” enabling T68i handset owners to view World Cup information over WAP in full color.
The company, which had hoped to find a buyer, has now ceased trading, and is one of the more high-profile company failures that banked on WAP becoming a mainstream product used by the majority of cell-phone subscribers.
