WHAT IS WAP AND WAP FORUM?

Who are the members of WAP Forum?

The current WAP Forum members are listed here.

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WHAT IS WAP FOR?

What is the purpose of WAP?

To enable easy, fast delivery of relevant information and services to mobile users.

What type of devices will use WAP?

Handheld digital wireless devices such as mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, smartphones, and communicators -- from low-end to high-end.

Which wireless networks does WAP work with?

WAP is designed to work with most wireless networks such as CDPD, CDMA, GSM, PDC, PHS, TDMA, FLEX, ReFLEX, iDEN, TETRA, DECT, DataTAC, Mobitex.

What operating systems are compatible with WAP?

WAP is a communications protocol and an application environment. It can be built on any operating system including PalmOS, EPOC, Windows CE, FLEXOS, OS/9, JavaOS, etc. It provides service interoperability even between different device families.

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HOW DOES WAP RELATE TO STANDARDS BODIES?

Is the WAP Forum a standards body or competitive with existing standards bodies?

No. The WAP Forum is an industry association that supports and gives input to existing standards bodies. Its specifications will be contributed to appropriate standards bodies.

Which standards bodies does WAP Forum have relationships with?

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI), Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), European Computer Manufacturers' Association (ECMA).

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WHY GO FOR WAP?

What is a micro-browser?

Client software designed to overcome challenges of mobile handheld devices that enables wireless access to services such as Internet information in combination with a suitable network server.

Why are network operators behind WAP?

With minimal risk and investment, WAP enables operators to decrease churn, cut costs, and increase revenues by improving existing, value-added services and offering exciting new informational services.

Why are equipment manufacturers interested in WAP?

Being a global open specification suite, WAP has generated the critical mass for manufacturers. This has opened up new product and marketing opportunities in the wireless industry and provides new revenue to participating companies.

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HOW DOES WAP FORUM WORK?

What is the internal organizational structure of WAP Forum?

The WAP Forum is organized into the following functional areas:

• The Board of Directors
• The Specification Committee
• The Architecture Group
• Specification Working Groups
• Expert Working Groups
  

Details on the internal organization can be found in the WAP Work Processes document.

Is it possible for non-members to influence the WAP Forum specifications?

Submissions from all parties via the WAP Forum web site are welcome and will be made available to the internal working group chairperson for review. However, only WAP Forum members may attend working group meetings or vote on specifications.

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WHEN WILL WAP BE REAL?

Wireless data services have been talked about for a decade. Why will WAP succeed where previous attempts to reach mass-markets have failed?

Technology adoption has been slowed by the industry's lack of standards to make hand-held products Internet compatible. WAP provides the de facto global open standard for wireless data services.

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JOINING WAP FORUM

What are the categories of Membership?

The WAP Forum provides two categories of membership: Full Membership and Associate Membership. Only Full members may nominate and vote for individuals as Directors. Details of the respective rights of Full members and Associate members are set out in the Forum's Articles of Association and in the Schedule to the Application Form.

How does a company become a member of the WAP Forum?

Membership details and an application form are available here. Please review and follow the instructions on the application to become a member.

WAP FORUM MEETINGS

Who can attend WAP Forum meetings?

Working meetings are open only to WAP Forum members. However, WAP Forum often holds open meetings alongside the working meetings where any interested party or prospective member can hear about WAP Forum, WAP technology, current activities, and ask questions.

What is the schedule of WAP Forum meetings?

A complete calendar of WAP Forum events can be found here.

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WAP AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES

How does Bluetooth relate to WAP?

Bluetooth is a local area low power radio link between devices. Many of the usage scenarios for Bluetooth will also involve one of the devices communicating over the air using WAP. While many Bluetooth members are also WAP members, and it is expected that many future handheld wireless devices will deploy both Bluetooth and WAP technology, the two technologies fundamentally address different problems.

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WAP IN THE FUTURE

Will WAP comply with Third Generation wireless standards?

Yes, WAP has been designed to be as independent as possible from the underlying network technology.

Is WAP necessary with higher bandwidth 3G networks?

Even as bandwidths increase, the cost of that bandwidth does not fall to zero. These costs result from higher power usage in the terminals, higher costs in the radio sections, greater use of RF spectrum, and increased network loading. In addition, the original constraints WAP was designed for -- intermittent coverage, small screens, low power consumption, wide scalability over bearers and devices, and one-handed operation -- are still valid in 3G networks. Finally, we can expect the bandwidth required by application users to steadily increase. Therefore, there is still a need to optimize the device and network resources for wireless environments. We can expect WAP to optimize support for multimedia applications that continue to be relevant. If WAP is very successful in mass-markets on 2.5G networks, 3G networks may be needed purely for capacity relief.

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