ROME-The Open Mobile Alliance-a massive, overarching wireless standards group formed in June-released its first set of technical specifications for public review, covering the increasingly popular area of content downloading.
In developing the specifications, OMA worked with other standards organizations from across the wireless spectrum, including the GSM Association, CDMA Development Group and the Java Community Process. The specifications outline the protocols for the distribution and download of content to mobile handsets. The specifications also cover protocols and rules for copyright protection.
However, the group’s efforts may be a little late. Carriers across the world have already started offering downloadable content, using either Sun Microsystems’ Java 2 Micro Edition standard or Qualcomm’s BREW application download service. Sprint PCS and U.K. giant MmO2 are the latest to offer such services.
Separately, the OMA announced 21 additional companies have joined the group’s roster, as well as 32 companies that have signed up as OMA sponsors. The group also said it created a Mobile Web Services workgroup to create standard development tools for the growing area of Web services.
