<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
By Russ Green
Figures: Click to Enlarge
Figure 1
Mobile operators that support WAP 2.0 and MMS services and applications will be the first to capture the growing contribution to ARPU from these data services.
The market for digital premium content services will sustain and drive the future growth of mobile operators' Average Revenue Per User (ARPU). The challenge for mobile operators will be to understand and quickly implement the appropriate technology that supports premium content delivery. Yankee Group confirms that data will be the profit-making service in the future according to its latest research that forecasts worldwide mobile data service revenues to grow from U.S.$64 billion in 2003 to U.S.$200 billion in 2007.
Digital premium content services permit delivery and download of feature-rich content directly to the mobile device. Current offerings include ringtones, screen icons, audio, and increasingly prevalent services such as picture messaging, images and news flashes, location services, and other mobile multimedia messaging services (MMS).
The Open Mobile Alliance's Wireless Application Protocol version 2 (WAP 2.0) plays an important and strategic role in enabling the mobile operators to pursue this revenue-rich market for premium content services. The WAP 2.0 standard includes support for MMS, expansion of the capabilities of wireless devices, and support for features and functions to improve the user experience. WAP 2.0 is a significant evolutionary step and allows application developers to create compelling mobile content using the same tools and techniques they're already familiar with for other Internet applications.
A brief outline of the functions and features in different versions of WAP including navigation, configuration and adaptation, push and e-mail, and security follows and is shown in Table 1.
It should be noted that the WAP 1.2.1 release introduced "push" notification capabilities that could be used to offer some limited MMS services. However, WAP 2.0 specifications define application-level protocol activities so that MMS can be made available within a variety of media types. For example, the WAP 2.0 specifications include additional service aspects supported by the MMS Server such as an e-mail server and wireless messaging systems (e.g. SMSC).
Navigation Is Enhanced with WAP 2.0
MMS is designed to provide a rich set of content to subscribers in a messaging context. It supports both sending and receiving of such messages by properly enabled client devices. MMS facilitates a dramatic increase in mobile-to-mobile messaging capabilities by enabling color photos, graphics, animation, audio, and video clips to be sent along with text. This encourages and advances other content-rich applications and services such as electronic postcards, animated cartoons, and multimedia presentations.
Pictograms permit the use of tiny graphical images, such as a smiling sun, in a consistent fashion. These are popular tools that quickly convey concepts and responses in a small amount of space that might otherwise require a time-consuming explanation. Such communication can transcend traditional language boundaries, which is particularly useful for data-roaming customers.
Configuration and Adaptation Is Enhanced with WAP 2.0
By using other WAP services, such as Push and User Agent Profile (UAProf), MMS provides an efficient messaging solution. Adaptation services can be initiated, which structures the delivered content into a form that's best used by the receiving device, enhancing the user experience.
As more new devices are introduced into the market, content adaptation saves content creation, management, and maintenance costs. The MMS standard sets out interfaces for servers transcoding content, and companies are already preparing products to ease multidevice support.
Push and E-mail Are Enhanced with WAP 2.0
The next generation "push" notification enables differentiated, personalized services to attract and retain mobile operator customers by:
· Creating one-to-one relationships by delivering highly personalized information - how and when they want it
· Expanding reach and touch through multiple communication channels
· Notifying customers of important, time-sensitive events
WAP Push allows content to be sent or "pushed" to devices by server-based applications via a Push Proxy. WAP 2.0 has enhanced this functionality, providing a useful interface for real-time applications that send notifications to their users, such as messaging, stock price, and traffic update alerts. Without push functionality, these types of applications require the devices to poll servers for new or updated information. In wireless environments, such polling activities constitute inefficient and wasteful use of the resources of wireless networks.
WAP Push functionality provides control over the lifetime of pushed messages, store and forward capabilities at the Push Proxy, and control over bearer choice for delivery (i.e., SMS, WSP UDP, HTTP).
Security Is Enhanced with WAP 2.0
With the plugging of the so-called "WAP Gap" in the WAP 2.0 specifications, true and straightforward end-to-end security for content providers is made possible without requiring customized infrastructure at the enterprise.
WAP 2.0 introduces the concept of secure proxy tunnels (identical to Internet proxy tunnelling).
Establishing transaction integrity is core to building the network's value, attracting new services, and driving ARPU. Secure payments place the mobile operator in the center of every mobile transaction and can result in increased revenue opportunity in the form of higher ARPU and/or transaction fees.
The end-to-end security supported in WAP 2.0 together with enhancements made to the Wireless Identity Module (WIM) specifications make it possible for secure transaction services such as brokerage, banking, and card-based payment solutions without the additional costs of deploying enterprise hardware.
WAP 2.0 Also Provides for the Future
Research predicts that by 2004, mobile operator networks will need to support a minimum of 50 different device profiles and 10 different wireless network interfaces. While this seems daunting, it provides greater opportunities for a mobile operator to offer enhanced value-added services. For example, external/mobile phone integrated devices such as digital camera, barcode scanner, health care devices, and smart cards are becoming commonplace with greater utility and thus opportunity for making money.
WAP 2.0 specifies the interface between Wireless Application Environment (WAE) and components or entities with embedded applications that execute outside of the defined WAE capabilities. The specification is called External Functionality Interface (EFI). The EFI framework provides for future growth and extendability of supported WAP devices. This framework can be used to define the specific interfaces needed for accessing external devices.
WAP 2.0 specifications define an open, standard-based architecture for providing such value-added services without the restrictions of the proprietary device/gateway solution. Some features of WAP 2.0 that are instrumental in supporting the open application and service development are:
· Wireless Telephony Application (WTA): This service features tools that provide for a range of advanced telephony applications to be operated from within the application environment that traditionally supports data functionality. These call-handling services, such as making, placing, holding, and redirecting calls, can be seamlessly combined with other data services. This truly permits WAP WTA-enabled cellphones to be viewed as fully integrated Internet and voice-service platforms.
· External Functionality Interface (EFI): This is analogous to providing a plug-in module, which extends or enhances the capabilities of browsers or other applications. The EFI framework provides for future growth and extendability of supported WAP devices.
· Provisioning: This service provides a standard approach to providing WAP clients with information needed to operate on the wireless networks. It permits the network operator to manage the devices on its network using a common set of tools.
WAP 2.0: Here to Stay
With the introduction of the WAP 2.0 release, enhancements in navigation, push and e-mail, and security make it possible for the success of the next generation of digital messaging and data services. What was once a cumbersome and difficult user interface (supported by WAP 1.x) is now advanced, powerful, capable, and user-friendly.
New WAP 2.0 devices and interfaces significantly enhance the 3G wireless Internet experience and capabilities. As a result, the end-user adoption rate for WAP 2.0-enabled services, such as MMS, alerting services, multimedia downloads, and other valuable digital premium content services, will be accelerated. Mobile operators that support WAP 2.0 and MMS services and applications will be the first to capture the growing contribution to ARPU from these data services.