The Wap Wave - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Business Asia, July, 2000 by Rene A. Mallari

Asia is embracing the WAP revolution with a passion. RENE A. MALLARI reports from Manila on the latest IT fad

ON THE streets of Makati, the Philippines' main business district, yuppies and executives alike brandish their cell phones during a lunch break.

Jeff Muyrong, 29, is among them. A newly promoted manager at a Singapore-based company, he says his mobile phone has become a crucial part of his business life -- from talking to his colleagues while on field work to accessing public information such as sports, news and e-mail. Without his internet-enabled wireless device, Muyrong would be lost.

The Makati scene is being played out all through the region.

In Asia, the next technology wave is geared towards wireless communications. Specifically, the emergence of the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is likely to empower Asian mobile users as they access online information and services.

In fact, Asia and Europe are driving the WAP revolution, while the United States (where most of the latest IT tools originate) is trailing behind.

The Asian region's appetite for mobile phones has swelled, accounting for more than a quarter of the huge volumes of hand phones sold worldwide this year, according to the Gartner Group.

So what is WAP? WAP-enabled devices, such as those in cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), allow you to visit certain websites. What's more, checking your mail, transferring bank accounts, accessing financial information and managing your daily schedule is now possible at a cost that is cheaper than connecting to the internet through your PC.

WAP's biggest advantage, according to Ericsson director Hakan Anderson, is that the technology allows you to access the internet regardless of your location.

"You don't have to wait for a long time to connect to the internet, as happens when you try to access via computers. More importantly, the WAP subscriber gets global access with just a local connection: you don't have to make an international long distance call anymore," Anderson says.

Developed by leading mobile phone manufacturers (including Nokia, Motorola and Ericsson), WAP is expected to be a byword all around the region, thanks to the phenomenal demand for mobile phones.

Japan, for one, has at least 57 million cell phone subscribers, 10 million of which have internet-access capability. In Thailand, there are about 2.5 million to date; China now has 40 million; the Philippines roughly four million.

Asia's infatuation with WAP could turn into a deep and lasting commitment, according to industry experts.

The Gartner Group expects WAP hand phones to catch on even more in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. This year's projected sales of roughly eight million WAP-enabled phones in the region is forecast to leap to at least 120 million units in three years.

If such a trend holds true, WAP would be the leading standard for internet-enabled access devices in Asia.

But is WAP the best technology there is and will ever be?

Analysts suggest media hype created by hand phone manufacturers has fuelled the initial market success of WAP-enabled mobile tools.

Now that an increasing part of the Asian population is starting to see what the fuss has been all about, disappointment over the medium's technology is possible -- some say likely.

A little over six months after Nokia introduced it in the Asian market, WAP still fails to appeal to some consumers.

The language for WAP is WML, or Wireless Mark-up Language, an XML-based language. A WML-based standard is limited in that instead of the flashy multi-media content (made possible by the so-called HTML language) you usually see on your favourite web sites, it can only offer text and simple graphics.

Not to mention that the limits on bandwidth -- in contrast to an internet connection via computer -- mean that users can pay heavy charges to download material.

For WAP to truly satisfy a broad market, content must start to suit home users and speeds must improve, says John Fogarasi, director of e-services HP SouthAsia.

Despite WAP's growing popularity, there appears to be no sign that consumers will abandon the internet for the emerging technology anytime soon, says Fogarasi. One factor is the scant availability of WAP-capable mobile phones. Currently, Nokia's first-generation WAP-enabled device is the 7110 model, while Ericsson has the R320 brand.

Moreover, experts have warned that a new breed of computer virus may emerge in future, hitting WAP mobile phones and PDAs. In particular, some new viruses have the ability to record phone conversations and forward them -- running up huge phone bills. Other viruses may be able to delete money from electronic wallets.

For the time being, WAP's popularity looks set to increase. Whether it gives way to sophisticated technologies has yet to be seen.

WAP may end up being left behind by the advent of the so-called 3G (third generation) wireless communications technology now being developed.

3G is said to be much more advanced than WAP. And those critical of WAP predict that the current breed of WAP phones, or even the phones coming to market in the next few years, will not suffice for 3G applications.