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That handy mobile phone
of yours is on its way to becoming a multipurpose
super gizmo. You will not only be able to communicate
with people around the world with it but surf
the entire net too - anytime, anywhere! Incredible,
but true. That's what WAP [Wireless Application
Protocol] is all about.
WAP, the most happening technology in the field
of communication, is targeting people on the move.
If the Internet goes mobile, the range of applications
that WAP can provide is almost unbelievable. Starting
from the usual e-mail sending and receiving services,
the WAP holder has the net (in text form) at his/her
fingertips. 
Right now, screen being the limitation, WAP enables
the user to have the net in text form only. Some
WAP phones viz., NOKIA 7110, ALCATEL
One touch, SIEMENS S25, ERRICSON T36, SONY
and palmtops like SIEMENS IC35 and ERRICSON
MC218 provide an access to the net. As screen
is the limiting factor for these tiny devices,
a lot more R&D has to be done in this area.
The Indian saga of WAP enabled Internet Service
Providing started a year ago. That is when both
the Internet and mobile phone services started
to boom on the Indian corporate scene. By then
both of them must have identified the other's
potential. Consequently, the two services thought
of joining hands.
When mobile operators like TATA Cellular
(in Andhra Pradesh) went public to announce WAP
enabled phones, other operators like Orange, AirTel, and Aircell
also decided to provide such devices. Cell phone
users in cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad
who are enabled with the WAP services, are provided
with stock updates, air/rail timings and breaking
news. These service providers might be just a
few steps ahead of many other mobile service providers
who will soon be following in their footsteps
with the required set-up in the months to come.
Is it possible to go online if one has a WAP compatible
phone in hand? At present, no. The WAP phone user
can only login to a site that is also a WAP browser.
Other browsers can be downloaded to any PC but
not a WAP browser. Also, mobile phone vendors
have not assured any strategy that can make the
existing phone compatible with a WAP service.
Even if all the constraints are overcome, price
will limit the user base. Quoted from Rs 9,000
upwards, WAP phones are as expensive as Rs 30,000.
Though India is lagging behind Japan, USA and
other countries at present, it is a land of opportunities
that can reap enormous benefits from the WAP revolution
in the coming years.
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