Newsletter Archive 3

Newsletter 3 - 2001

A. Newsletter English

1. New WAP Browser for your company's web site
2. Openwave and Sun form alliance for wireless web solutions
3. New GPRS-enabled PCMCIA card
4. NTT DoCoMo replaces 230'000 mobile phones
5. Texas Instruments invests in the wireless web
6. New WAP eShop-System with database-integration
7. No big competition in Singapores 3G race
8. WAP 2.0 is coming ...
9. Sony and Nintendo enter the wireless market
10. Real M-Commerce still not reality
11. Mobilkom Austria aquires the Slovenian SI Mobil

1. New WAP Browser for your company's web site - Prices start at USD 49.- monthly

The new and improved version of the WAP Browser gives companies the possibility to demonstrate existing WAP services on their web site. Prices start at USD 49.- monthly. Just find the browser skin which suits your customers needs (Nokia 7110, PDA 's etc.) and offer your users the possibility to check out your WAP-site without a wireless web phone or paying any fees. The WAP Browser is an exact simulator of a WAP phone (this even includes WTLS for secure transactions, if needed). The browser can quickly be integrated into existing web sites and runs on several platforms (your server or external server). The starting page and even advertising banners can be changed in no time.

Get entirely new target groups: After the user has tested your WAP-offerings with the WAP Browser on the regular internet, you will be ready to program the real WAP-mobiles with one click per OTA/SMS so that the customer will always have your WAP-site as their starting page! Order your personal WAP Browser now and test it for 10 days for free. Don't just talk about your WAP-site: Show it to your customers in real time with the new WAP Browser. More info here

2. Openwave and Sun form alliance for wireless web solutions

During the last few weeks there have been several rumors concerning an alliance between 2 of the biggest names in technology: Sun and Openwave have now made it public. They are forming an alliance to develop end-to-end solutions for the wireless web. Besides trying to improve the WAP Technology, both companies are focusing their efforts on being a step ahead. Java-related technologies such as J2ME might also get a big push from this cooperation, since Sun -as the inventor of Java- is counting on this programming language to deliver fast and safe applications for wireless web devices. (www.sun.com , www.openwave.com )

3. New GPRS-enabled PCMCIA card

With the new PCMCIA card from Xircom more and more laptop computers will be able to use GPRS. The PCMCIA card is, according to Xircom, the first GPRS-enabled card in the world. The card will be available in 2 versions, one being for North America and the other for Europe and the rest of the world. Xircom also added that this card will also be SMS-enabled and allow any user to send SMS with their portable computers. (www.xircom.com )

4. NTT DoCoMo replaces 230'000 mobile phones

Because of software problems the Japanese I-Mode founder NTT DoCoMo will replace around 230'000 mobile phones. NTT DoCoMo's spokesperson explained
that there have been slight software problems with a series of I-Mode phones while surfing or visting certain web sites. The recall has already been issued.
(www.nttdocomo.com )

5. Texas Instruments invests in the wireless web

Texas Instruments has announced to invest over $ 100 Million in start-up companies of the mobile internet market. The reason for the investment is the Open Multimedia Application Platform (OMAP) engine which is DSP-based. TI wants to ensure that they "support the development of real time DSP applications." The efforts and the money are mostly steered in the direction of 3G technology. (www.texasinstruments.com )

6. No big competition in Singapores 3G race

The 3G auction in Singapore might become no auction after all. Singapore's government is not counting on many companies to be contestants in the 3G auction. Despite the lack of interest, the government will award each license to the companies for the reserve price. There are 4 available licenses for Singapore.

7. Now available: New WAP eShop-System with database-integration for mobile commerce sites of companies

Now ccWAP offers a complete eShop system for WAP-devices (GSM, GPRS and UMTS). Companies can now easily offer their entire catalogue of products and
services over the wireless web. The mShop has been developed for businesses of any size, which want a fully-functional, scaleable solution with database interfaces (Oracle, mySQL etc.). The customer can, just like in a real shop, get text and picture information about the product within the mobile shop. In addition the customer can fill his/her shopping basket add and subtract any item. The mobile shop has been specifically designed for the mobile customer and the order process can be fullfilled by SMS and e-mail.

With the structure of the WAP eShop system ccWAP has finished a solution for the world-wide renowned EP-NETSHOP. ElectronicPartner is the biggest European conglomerate group for TV, video, HiFi, telecom, PC and electronics. With over 3'000 members the conglomerate group has grossed a total of 3'640 Billion Deutschmark.
You can find the WAP eShop at http://ns13716a.cobalthosting.net/ep-netshop ( You will need a WAP Browser or any other WAP-device )

More information or special orders can be sent to mShop@ccWAP.com

8. WAP 2.0 is coming

The second version of the Wireless Application Protocol is soon to make its world-wide debut. Experts have many opinions about the new standard, which is now based on xHTML. Whether the basics of WML will stay with us for the next years is still unsure, since programming languages such as Java (J2ME) might overtake the lead because of their flexibility. Despite many voices in the technology market, WAP 2.0 will not be compatible to I-Mode (i.e. cHTML). WAP 2.0 will become the standard in early 2002.

9. Sony and Nintendo enter the wireless market

The 2 video gaming behemoths Sony and Nintendo are both planning a big entry into the wireless web market this year. Nintendo has announced an add-on tool for the Game Boy which will enable the users to connect to the wireless web with NTT DoCoMo's competitor KDDI . Sony is working on a wireless web solution for mobile phones will make it possible for video gamers to play some games on a mobile phone. Nintendo is likely to be ahead in the wireless race, because the Game Boy is already highly popular and with the addition of the add-on tool, most people might be heavily drawn to the Game Boy. (www.sony.com , www.nintendo.com )

10. Real M-Commerce still not reality

According to a recent study by Accenture the world-wide average for customers who are actually buying on the wireless web is a rather disappointing 1%. A surprising finding of the study was that the USA is actually ahead of everybody with 15% of its customers making online purchases with a mobile phone, Accenture stated. Finland, which is one of the most "WAP-familiar" countries in the world has only 5% of its wireless web surfers shopping. (www.accenture.com )

11. Mobilkom Austria aquires the Slovenian SI Mobil

Mobilkom Austria, which belongs to Telekom Austria has announced that it aquired 49 % of the share of the Slovenian telecommunications company SI Mobil. The Austrian company stated that it wants to build a better European-wide hold. SI Mobile has over 130'000 customers and is grossing around ? 130 Million a year.

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