Businesses will be able to leverage third generation mobile phones immediately. Nokia Corporation and Software AG, represented locally by SPL, are co-operating on the development of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) solutions to make existing business applications accessible to mobile phone users.
Software AG delivers the crucial link that connects Nokia's WAP server with existing applications, for example, those already used by banks, insurance companies, or airlines. Its middleware solutions will enable organisations to leverage the opportunities presented by third generation mobile phones immediately - without having to re-write existing applications.
"The agreement marks another important milestone in mobile communications," says Joe Rios, Software AG business manager at SPL, part of the Dimension Data Group.
Software AG's EntireX enables businesses to add a middleware layer to legacy applications to bring mobile phones into the fold for businesses. Most transactions done over PCs today will in the future be possible using mobile phones.
Mobile phones will also be able to perform transactions that today are only possible with Internet access. People will be able to interact with organisations wherever they are, no matter how remote, providing there is cellular coverage.
"Unlike computers, mobile phones are inexpensive, simple, accessible, require no intelligence to use, and have been absorbed into the culture," says Rios. "They are readily accepted devices for most people. The possibilities offered by the combination of third generation phones and middleware are tremendous and will close the gap between existing business and the person without access to the Internet."
The new software solutions jointly developed by Nokia and Software AG can already be demonstrated. WAP will start rolling out in Finland, followed by Japan and then Europe.
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Dimension Data i-Commerce
Dimension Data i-Commerce assists organisations to interact electronically with their customers, suppliers, staff and investors through electronic channels, integrated with traditional channels. As an early pioneer of interactive commerce, Dimension Data is already positioned as South Africa's leading enabler of a process that is redefining market places and the way businesses interact with each other.
Projected revenues for the interactive commerce business in FY 99/2000 are in excess of R2-billion, with a staff complement of 4500 employees. In the last quarter of 1999 the business secured in excess of lb50 million in new business in the UK market.
The business offering includes software, services, infrastructure and managed services, provided through a new structure that is aligned to market requirements in the new economy.
WAP
The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is an open de-facto standard for Internet content and advanced telephony services in digital mobile phones and other wireless terminals. The standard enables manufacturers, network operators, content providers and application developers to offer compatible products and secure services on all digital devices and networks resulting in greater economies of scale and universal access to information. The WAP Forum (www.wapforum.com), which now has over 200 members, has published a global wireless protocol specification for all wireless networks.