Page 145 - DCAP512_WAP_AND_WML

Unit 10: Email Integration

 Hong Kong network operator Hutchison Telecom has joined with Health Care International Notes
Holdings to launch an online medical service portal, Healthcare2U.com. Subscribers to
Hutchison network can access the medical portal via WAP phones.
 Finnair will enable passengers to make, alter and cancel reservations using WAP-enabled
mobile phones. The service operates in English, but currently is only available to customers
with Finnish phone service providers.
 Ericsson announced a deal to make the guide Michelin travel publications available on
WAP mobile telephones. The new service will give the customers instant access to a
database of some 60,000 hotels and restaurants across Europe via WAP.

Customer Service

By providing mobile phone customers with information about their account, the WAP can help
to avoid the need for expensive person to person voice calls to customer service centers.
Customer service suppliers using WAP include Phone.com (www.phone.com) and Categoric
(www.categoric.com). Categoric specializes in event alerts. Every time an event of interest to
the customer happens, SMS or WAP are used to let them know.

Positioning

Positioning in mobile context can mean several things: location of vehicles or people or
phones. Vehicle positioning application integrates satellite positioning systems that tell people
where they are with WAP which lets people tell others where they are. The Global Positioning
System (GPS) is a free-to-use global network of 24 satellites run by the US Department of
Defense. Anyone with a GPS receiver can receive their satellite position and thereby find out
where they are.

The SMS is ideal for sending GPS information such as longitude, latitude, bearing and altitude.
GPS information is typically about 60-character length, leaving room for other vehicle-specific
information.

Notes Vehicle Positioning suppliers using WAP include www.wapolution.com.

Instant Messaging

Instant messaging is a cross between chat and email that allows people to view a listing of
people they frequently communicate with, determine if these people are currently available for
communication (i.e. online), and send and receive messages instantaneously. The tendency is to
send instant messages to people rather than emails if you find that they are online.
Instant messaging was launched in early 1997 and continues to grow in popularity with over 100
million total users.
Wireless Instant Messaging is another example of the extension of the same services that people
can access on the Internet becoming increasingly available on mobile phones. This is initially
done through gateways that perform protocol conversion and reduce the size of the
communication down to that which can be handled by low bandwidth wireless services. Over
time, the gateways will not be needed, as seamless access to unmodified services becomes more
widespread.
Instant Messaging suppliers using WAP include AOL Tegich (www.tegic.com).

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 139