The hype finally becomes reality as Nokia`s RF Group teams up with the SABC to build a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) news portal. News, however, is only the beginning.
The Nokia RF Group`s WAP initiative is set to pull content from numerous content providers apart from the highly publicised SABC partnership, although services will be slow to follow.
This is according to Gavin Penkin, new business development manager, Nokia RF Group. He named a plethora of partners that will be joining the new WAP portal`s bandwagon, slugged WAPHome. The Abraxas golf network should interest upper management, offering golfing handicaps and information, as will the advertising deal with the Pro Shop. Trade-Link.com, PSG Online and BOE Securities should satisfy the business sector, while Info Africa will provide content for after-hours activities.
Nokia RF is also negotiating for a partner for its traffic information system and is trying to entice the auction sites to come on board.
International content deals are also on the cards, with one UK and a few continent WAP portals looking to bring South African content to Europe. DHL is another international player that has shown interest in WAPHome.
Penkin warns, however, that services will not take off as fast as content, as WAP first requires the correct security in place before online trading takes off. "It will probably be about three months before we see trading with WAP," he cautions, but adds that once the technology is in place, user acceptance of WAP transaction security will probably be faster than that experienced on the Internet.
"Users trust the security on GSM, so I think they will accept WAP for transactions and security," he notes.
The SABC`s involvement in the project is due to its recently formed Special News Services department, also responsible for the News Break initiative with Vodacom.
"This is a huge growth area for the SABC," says Judy Sandison, editor of SABC Special News Services. "WAP offers the advantages of ease of use and availability."
She adds that the SABC hopes to expand the service, currently operating from 6am to 6pm, into a 24-hour service. Sandison expects the market to grow fast, with cellular penetration spreading both up and down the social tiers, offering the possibility for the WAP news service to cater for other languages. As the project is a joint venture between Nokia RF and SABC, the SABC will benefit from revenue from the project, and will be the primary news provider to the portal.
Penkin reckons that the portal is ideally suited to the WAP market, and will be significantly more successful than its Internet forefather. "It is very easy on a keyboard and a browser to go where you want to go," he says. "A cellular phone is very different - it costs money to stay online, and it is harder to navigate than on a PC. Without portals, WAP is non-existent," he states.
Since its launch on Wednesday, almost 1 000 users have subscribed to the portal. Penkin says there are around 6 000 WAP-enabled phones in the market currently, but expects his group alone to sell 10 000 Nokia phones to the SA market by the end of the year.
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