Open Wireless Internet Standard Backed by 71 Companies Worldwide LONDON, United Kingdom ¾ (11 November 1998) ¾ The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Forum (www.wapforum.org) today announced 11 new member companies and the appointment of three additional board members. Joining the board are Mr. Hiroshi Sakai, director and general manager, Mobile Communications Engineering Division, Engineering Group, DDI Corporation; Dr. Shuichi Shindo, senior vice president, Mobile Computing Business Department of NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc.; and Terry Yu, vice president of product management and development of Sprint PCS. DDI Corporation (www.ddi.co.jp) is a leading telecommunications carrier in Japan, serving over 8 million subscribers. NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. (www.nttdocomo.com) serves over 21 million of Japan's 36.5 million wireless subscribers. Sprint PCS has the largest 100 percent digital, 100 percent PCS nationwide wireless network in the United States, already serving 177 metropolitan markets which include more than 4,000 cities and communities across the country. With active participation from the entire industry, the WAP Forum has delivered a set of Internet standard protocols designed to run on top of the Internet IP protocol and other wireless network bearers. This vendor-neutral and network-independent open specification is the unified worldwide standard for providing wireless Internet access from handheld devices. For the first time, there is a single industry-standard mechanism for wireless application interoperability and a standard XML-compliant markup language, WML (Wireless Markup Language) that is being implemented industry-wide. This common standard accelerates market growth by providing a clear path for application developers. "NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. is an active participant in various telecom-munications industry standardization activities," said Dr. Shuichi Shindo, senior vice president, Mobile Computing Business, NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. "We support and con-tribute to the open WAP Internet specification as a sure and successful path to interoperability, higher value and more advanced services."
WAP Embraced by All Sectors of Worldwide Wireless Telecommunications Industry
WAP utilizes HTTP 1.1 Web servers to provide content on the Internet or intranets, thereby leveraging existing application development methodologies and developer skill sets such as CGI, ASP, NSAPI, JAVA and Servlets. WAP defines an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) syntax called WML (Wireless Markup Language). All WML content is accessed over the Internet using standard HTTP 1.1 requests. To leverage today's extremely large market penetration of mobile devices, WML's user interface components map well onto existing mobile phone user interfaces. This means end-users can immediately use WAP-enabled mobile phones and services without re-education. WAP specifications enable products which employ standard Internet technology to optimize content and airlink protocols to better suit the characteristics and limitations of existing and future wireless networks and devices. "In today's fast-paced mobile environment, Sprint PCS is committed to providing clarity, coverage, simplicity and value to our customers," said Terry Yu, vice president of product management and development of Sprint PCS. "WAP's use of standard Internet protocols and vendor-independent technology enables carriers to efficiently deliver the best possible service to customers, today and in the future." The WAP architecture consists of several modules that together form a fully compliant Internet entity. WAP enables network operators to employ any data transport deployed in their networks, including TCP/IP, UDP/IP, GUTS (IS-135/6), SMS, or USSD. There are several liaison relationships between WAP and other industry organizations, including ETSI (European Tele-communications Standards Institute), MexE (ETSI's Mobile Execution Environment) and CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association). The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) are actively working with the WAP Forum to evolve HTML-NG (Next Generation) and HTTP-NG to better meet the requirements of future wireless network technologies. The WAP protocol specifications are being evolved to address the enhanced capabilities of 3G wireless networks emerging in the next few years. The WAP specifications cur-rently specify bearer level interfaces to the GPRS data bearers.
"With WAP, DDI's total integrated solution will innovate Internet service in Japan," said Mr. Hiroshi Sakai, director and general manager, Mobile Communications Engineering Division, Engineering Group, DDI Corporation. "We are committed to the WAP standardization efforts and are pleased to be contributing to this worldwide effort." The WAP Forum membership includes widespread representation from all sectors of the industry, including the leading infrastructure manufacturers, handset manufacturers, wireless network operators and software providers. The WAP Forum Board of Directors includes: Mr. Chuck Parrish (chairman), executive vice president, Unwired Planet, Inc. Mr. Gregory G. Williams (vice chairman), vice president, Wireless Systems, SBC Communications, Inc. Dr. Alain C. Briancon, vice president & director, Internet & Networking Group, Motorola Limited Mr. Christophe Francois, product development director, CEGETEL / SFR Dr. Ajei S. Gopal, director of technology, Pervasive Computing, IBM Corporation Mr. Skip Bryan, director of technology marketing, WAP & Bluetooth, Ericsson Mobile Communications Mr. Noritake Okada, senior engineer, Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. Mr. Francis Pinault, system & architecture manager, Professional & Consumer Division, Alcatel *Mr. Hiroshi Sakai, director, general manager, Mobile Communications Engineering Division, Engineering Group, DDI Corporation Mr. Paul Schofield, senior product manager, Wireless Data, Products & Marketing, Telstra Corporation * Dr. Shuichi Shindo, senior vice president, Mobile Computing Business Department, NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. Mr. Mikko Terho, vice president, Wireless Data, Nokia Mobile Phones *Mr. Terry Yu, vice president of product management and development, Sprint PCS * newly appointed directors
The WAP Forum Membership includes these 71 companies: New Acer Peripherals, Inc. NORTEL / Northern Telcom Limited Alcatel NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. ApiON Ltd. New Omnitel AT&T Wireless Services, Inc. Philips Consumer Communications LP New Bell Atlantic Mobile Puma Technology, Inc. BellSouth Cellular Corp. QUALCOMM Incorporated Bosch Telecom Danmark A/S Rogers Cantel Mobile Communications, Inc. New Bouygues Telecom RSA Data Security, Inc. CCL (Computer & Communications Research Laboratories, ITRI) Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. CEGETEL / SFR SBC Communications, Inc. Cellnet Schlumberger Industries S.A. Certicom Corp. Sema Group Limited CMG Telecommunications and Utilities Sendit AB Comverse Network Systems, Inc. Siemens AG CTC (Itochu Techno-Science Corporation) SOFTLINE / Scandinavian Softline Technology Oy DDI Corporation Sonera Corporation (formerly Telecom Finland Ltd.) DeLaRue Card Systems New Sony International (Europe) GmbH Dolphin Telecommunications Ltd. Sprint PCS New Dr. Materna GmbH Spyglass, Inc. Ericsson Mobile Communications AB Starfish Software, Inc. New France Telecom SWISSCOM Ltd. Fujitsu Software Corporation Symbian Ltd. (formerly Psion Software plc) Gemplus New Tecnomen Oy Geoworks Corporation Tegic Communications, Inc. New GSM Information Network b.v. Telecom Italia Mobile S.p.A. Hongkong Telecom-Mobile Services Telenor Mobil Group IBM Corporation Telia Mobile AB IDO Corporation New Telital S.p.A. Intel Corporation Telstra Corporation Ltd. Logica Aldiscon T-MOBIL / Deutsche Telekom Mobilnet GmbH Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. Uniden Corporation MD-Co New Unisys Corporation Mitsubishi Wireless Communications Inc. Unwired Planet Inc. Motorola Limited Vodafone Group plc NEC Technologies (UK) Ltd. VTT Information Technology Nokia Mobile Phones
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