Towards rapid deployment of WAP-ready products and services worldwide

August 25, 1999 - Nokia is deploying the new Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Version 1.1 specifications in its WAP trials with mobile operators that are piloting Nokia WAP solutions and content.

The WAP Version 1.1 specifications, announced by the WAP Forum on June 30th, 1999, is a newly enhanced version of the mobile Internet standard that will enable rapid commercial deployment of WAP-ready products and services worldwide. Using WAP 1.1, users of digital mobile phones and other wireless devices will be able to securely access and instantly interact with Internet/intranet information and advanced telephony services.

Nokia has been offering WAP solutions and content based on WAP 1.0 specifications for many operator trials. Hence, a number of leading mobile operators have been piloting new WAP-based value added services, such as Internet and intranet access for GSM mobile phones, using complete Nokia solutions. In co-operation with Nokia and its operator customers, several application developers have created attractive and useful WAP-enabled services and solutions for the trials.

Together with the Nokia Artus Messaging Platform and the upgrading of these operator trials to WAP 1.1, Nokia enhances its offering to mobile operators. This allows Nokia together with operators to prepare for rapid commercial deployment of WAP compliant products and services. " In Hong Kong, Cable & Wireless HKT Mobile Services is now conducting trials on Nokia's WAP 1.1. A great variety of WAP-based services such as telephone directories, flight information enquiries and CNN news downloads are expected to be available to market by this year end," says Ross Cormack, Managing Director, Cable & Wireless HKT Mobile Services. "WAP is bringing us tremendous opportunities to offer new valuable services to our customers. Upgrading our WAP trial to WAP 1.1 takes us an important step closer to making attractive WAP-enabled services a reality".

To enhance the compatibility of WAP based products and services, Nokia is currently undertaking interoperability testing for WAP compatible products and services with several manufacturers.
Nokia is paving the way to the mobile information society with its innovative products and solutions.

Nokia is paving the way to the mobile information society with its innovative products and solutions. Nokia is the leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP networks including related services. It also supplies multimedia terminals and computer displays. In 1998, net sales totaled EUR 13.3 billion (USD 15.7 billion). Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on the New York (NOK), Helsinki, Stockholm, London, Frankfurt and Paris stock exchanges and employs more than 51 000 people.

Contact information:

Communications Department,
Nokia Telecommunications
Tel. (Int.) + 358 9 5113 8193,
Fax (Int.) + 358 9 5113 8199

About WAP and the WAP Forum:

The Wireless Application Protocol is a de-facto standard for Internet content and advanced telephony services in digital mobile phones and other wireless terminals. WAP enables manufacturers, network operators, content providers and application developers to offer compatible products and secure services on all digital devices and networks resulting in greater economies of scale and universal access to information.

Nokia is a founding member of the WAP Forum, which standardizes intelligent messaging for creating Internet services and applications for digital mobile phones and wireless terminals. WAP Forum membership is open to all industry participants. The WAP Forum has published a global wireless protocol specification for all wireless networks that will be submitted to the appropriate standard bodies.