WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)

W – World W – Wide W -- Web W – World W – Wide W – Wireless W -- Web The Two Paradigms

 Get financial information  Order and buy tickets  Pay your bills  Read the news  Read and send s  Receive your voic  Get a local guide to restaurants  Make stock queries

Why is Internet not enough? … or actually … "too much"...

Motivations for WAP Web Access to mobile phones is different because Web Access to mobile phones is different because The Network is different The Network is different Bandwidth is limited. Bandwidth is limited. The client devices are different. The client devices are different. Weak CPU, Small Memory. Weak CPU, Small Memory. Restricted MMI(display and keyboard, no mouse) Restricted MMI(display and keyboard, no mouse) Restricted Power Consumption. Restricted Power Consumption. Users are different Users are different Ease of use is very essential. Ease of use is very essential.

Thus, A special protocol suite for Wireless Web Access is justified. A special protocol suite for Wireless Web Access is justified.

WAP Forum The Wireless Application Protocol is a standard developed by the WAP Forum, a group founded by Nokia, Ericsson, Unwired Planet and Motorola. The Wireless Application Protocol is a standard developed by the WAP Forum, a group founded by Nokia, Ericsson, Unwired Planet and Motorola. The goals of WAP are to be: The goals of WAP are to be: Independent of wireless network standard. Independent of wireless network standard. Open to all. Open to all. Scalable across transport options. Scalable across transport options. Scalable across device types i.e. device independent. Scalable across device types i.e. device independent. Extensible over time to new networks and transports. Extensible over time to new networks and transports.

What is WAP? Wireless Application Protocol or WAP for short is simply a protocol - a standardized way for delivering Internet data over wireless networks. Wireless Application Protocol or WAP for short is simply a protocol - a standardized way for delivering Internet data over wireless networks. Thus WAP links Wireless Network with Computer Network (World Wide Web) Thus WAP links Wireless Network with Computer Network (World Wide Web) Enables the mobile users to access the internet data. Enables the mobile users to access the internet data.

Wireless Application Protocol Protocol specification for communication over wireless devices Protocol specification for communication over wireless devices Specified by WAP Forum Specified by WAP Forum Open, global and non proprietary. Open, global and non proprietary. Device and bearer independent. Device and bearer independent. Conforming to OSI standards Conforming to OSI standards You can say that it is a “parallel internet” You can say that it is a “parallel internet”

WAP Key Features Markup Language Wireless Telephony Applications Framework Lightweight Protocol Stack Script Language Designed to create services for small handheld terminals Multiple OS like Palm OS, EPOC, Flex OS, Java OS, OS/9, PocketPC ec. Access to telephony related functionality Designed to minimize required bandwidth and impact of latency

WAP Architecture Any WAP enable system consists of : A) WAP Gateway A) WAP Gateway B) the HTTP Web Server and B) the HTTP Web Server and C) the WAP Device (ex: any WAP enabled C) the WAP Device (ex: any WAP enabled mobile) mobile)

Wireless Network Application Servers (3rd party) WAP Gateway/ Proxy Operator’s domain Application Server, Telephony Services Internet WAP Architecture

WAP Gateway Connects the Internet domain to the Wireless domain. Connects the Internet domain to the Wireless domain. Cache service Cache service Script compilation Script compilation Protocol conversion Protocol conversion Security provided with WTLS, which supports authentication and encryption Security provided with WTLS, which supports authentication and encryption Compressed Binary Transmission Compressed Binary Transmission

WAP Server Hosts WAP applications Hosts WAP applications Allows WAP services to be hosted on standard WWW servers using proven technologies like ASP, Java Servlets, CGI scripts … Allows WAP services to be hosted on standard WWW servers using proven technologies like ASP, Java Servlets, CGI scripts … Provides security and authentication Provides security and authentication WAP content is created using WML, which is a light weight HTML. WAP content is created using WML, which is a light weight HTML. Gateway and server functions can be combined into a single physical server. Gateway and server functions can be combined into a single physical server.

WAP Application Environment Wireless Markup Language (WML) Wireless Markup Language (WML) A light markup language, similar to HTML, but optimized for use in handheld mobile terminals A light markup language, similar to HTML, but optimized for use in handheld mobile terminals WML Script WML Script A lightweight scripting language, similar to JavaScript  A lightweight scripting language, similar to JavaScript  Wireless Telephony Application (WTA, WTAI) Wireless Telephony Application (WTA, WTAI) A framework and programming interface for telephony service A framework and programming interface for telephony service

WAP Protocol Stack

WAP Protocols

Conventional Web Architecture

Working of WAP Fig: Showing WAP user request and response

Services & Business Areas Information services Information services WAP Portals WAP Portals M-care - customer service, payment status, account updates M-care - customer service, payment status, account updates Entertainment – games & interactive multi-player events Entertainment – games & interactive multi-player events M-commerce M-commerce Banking and finance Banking and finance Shopping Shopping Gambling Gambling Ticketing Ticketing

WAP v/s Standard Protocols WAP is more economical than HTTP HTTP requires a TCP connection to every server: WAP requires only one (WSP) session with its gateway. HTTP requires a TCP connection to every server: WAP requires only one (WSP) session with its gateway. HTTP compiles the given content “as it is”. HTTP compiles the given content “as it is”. WAP compiles the WML content. WAP compiles the WML content. HTTP uses human readable headers. HTTP uses human readable headers. WAP uses binary headers. WAP uses binary headers. For equivalent content, WAP requires less packets and less volume than HTTP. Thus, it provides higher effective bandwidth. For equivalent content, WAP requires less packets and less volume than HTTP. Thus, it provides higher effective bandwidth.

Advantages Vs Disadvantages Simplicity of Use Simplicity of Use Mobility Mobility Personalized Personalized Easy to Carry Easy to Carry Low Band Width Low Band Width Battery life Battery life Limited Computation Power Limited Computation Power Limited on board storage Limited on board storage Limited Graphics Limited Graphics Limited Keyboard and Display screen Size Limited Keyboard and Display screen Size

Potential Potential Threats Pricing Pricing Security Security End-to-end security problems End-to-end security problems Marketing Marketing Technology push, not market pull Technology push, not market pull Competition Competition Microsoft Wireless Knowledge (Microsoft-Qualcomm tie-up) Microsoft Wireless Knowledge (Microsoft-Qualcomm tie-up) Palm VII (Palm Computing) Palm VII (Palm Computing) I-mode (NTT), currently most developed but limited due to PDC I-mode (NTT), currently most developed but limited due to PDC SIM TOOLKIT, will be a complementary solution SIM TOOLKIT, will be a complementary solution

So Far … Internet on the cell phone. Internet on the cell phone. Downloadable applications. Downloadable applications. Location and proximity detection technologies…Global Positioning system Location and proximity detection technologies…Global Positioning system Convergence of WAP and Bluetooth Convergence of WAP and Bluetooth Evolution of Wireless networks towards 3 and 4G. Evolution of Wireless networks towards 3 and 4G.

Exciting Possibilities Embedded Java will do away with performance and memory issues Embedded Java will do away with performance and memory issues “WAPLETS” will allow you to dynamically download Java byte code and execute them on the cell phone “WAPLETS” will allow you to dynamically download Java byte code and execute them on the cell phone Voice will be a predominant option for data entry, but key pads will still be used for secure data Voice will be a predominant option for data entry, but key pads will still be used for secure data

Conclusion … SMS and WAP continue to be the key technologies for wireless application development SMS and WAP continue to be the key technologies for wireless application development When you design for wireless, don’t take a “porting” approach towards your application. Instead, focus on how you can leverage the strength of the medium to design your next killer app. When you design for wireless, don’t take a “porting” approach towards your application. Instead, focus on how you can leverage the strength of the medium to design your next killer app.

References otocol otocol otocol otocol g/wapoverview.html g/wapoverview.html g/wapoverview.html g/wapoverview.html p/wap-210-waparch a.pdf p/wap-210-waparch a.pdf p/wap-210-waparch a.pdf p/wap-210-waparch a.pdf

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