CCH Enterprise Solutions, one of South Africa`s leading e-commerce solution providers, has been appointed as an official Nokia reseller in WAP technology by the Finnish-based telecommunications supplier. The appointment is a first for South Africa, which is already a world leader in WAP implementation; it is to be extended to cover the resale of Nokia`s IP security appliances.
"Nokia was looking for a partner which would maintain the integrity of the Nokia brand name and could provide the solutions demanded by the new technology," says UK-based Ian Philip, GM Nokia Internet Communications. "WAP technology must have backup if the applications on top of it are to have meaning. Teaming up with CCH means Nokia has selected a high-quality solutions-based company which can focus on providing Nokia Internet-based communications to its high-profile customer base within Southern Africa," says Philip.
From CCH`s point of view, the agreement gives the company a tool "which enables mobile e-commerce application technology", says Mike Brien, communications architect at CCH Enterprise Solutions. The WAP market in South Africa is expected to be huge: projections are that there will be 150 000 WAP-enabled handsets in the market by the end of 2000, and 800 000 by the end of next year, he adds.
WAP is an open global standard for communication between a mobile handset and the Internet or other computer application. WAP-based technology enables the design of advanced interactive mobile service such as mobile banking or other Internet-based transaction or information services.
"We foresee huge growth potential in South Africa in particular. In Europe, WAP is seen as an extension to the PC environment, whereas here it might very well be the only Internet resource for a large number of people, given that only some 5% of the population is Internet-connected," says Philip. For the user, WAP technology will mean the ability to display Web-type resources on a limited screen size, multimedia terminal or mobile phone. "WAP is not a browsing tool," Brien says. "It is best suited for time-related information, banking and convenience transactions such as ticket booking."
Other applications are still emerging; these include workforce enablement, where employees on the road can access current information which will enable them to ensure greater productivity. "WAP means a company`s IT infrastructure can be extended into its mobile workforce," Taylor says. "The ability to access resources on the move fits with CCH`s key philosophy that work is not a place but a state of mind," adds Brien.
"CCH is delighted with the agreement as Nokia produces open-standards products which will give us the edge with our solutions," concludes Brien. "Not only does the public associate the Nokia brand with value, they also equate Nokia with mobility. As CCH Enterprise Solutions is equated with e-commerce ability, the two slot together well as a natural pairing for mobile commerce."
* Mike Brien is communications architect at CCH Enterprise Solutions. He can be contacted at (011) 808 3200 or mikeb@cch.co.za
* Ian Philip is general manager, Nokia Internet Communications, UK. He can be contacted via Claire Backhurst at (0944) 7788 145 460 or Claire.Backhurst@nokia.com
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