SAS launches WAP Gateway product

BANGALORE: Silicon Automation Systems Limited (SAS) has

entered the new but growing area of WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) Gateways

which enables mobile users to access Internet and Intranet services. SAS has

become the second Indian company to launch a WAP gateway. Earlier this month,

Integra Micro Systems had released its WAP server and gateway.

SAS WAP Gateway product conforms to the WAP 1.1 standard

specified by the WAP Forum, company sources claimed. They said the complete

product consisted of a WAP Gateway, support on integration to various bearer

services like SMS, CSD, GPRS, etc., on the network side and web applications on

the Internet side.

The offering will include a built-in SNMP agent, a billing

support system, a GUI-based user and service management system, a system

providing statistical information on usage, and a network management system. The

WAP standard specifics, an optional transaction security layer for enabling

secure transactions critical for financial applications. SAS WAP Gateway

architecture provides a flexible and easy framework to incorporate the

customer’s security requirements, the company said.

"The will enable users of wireless hand-held devices like

mobiles, PDAs, etc. to access the web anywhere and anytime" said SAS vice

president, telecom, Dr. G. Venkatesh. The WAP gateway allows mobile users to access Web server content (written in WAP Mark-up Language, or WML) on various hand-held WAP devices such as cellphones, pagers, palmtops, etc.

The software connects such WAP-enabled hand-held devices to content and applications hosted by Web servers. The WAP gateway acts as an interface to the technologies used in the wireless devices and the Internet.

SAS said it had already begun extensive field trials using

Nokia 7110 mobiles in Bangalore cellular service area. The company is also

collaborating with an e-business solution provider for the banking industry. The

SAS WAP Gateway product will be available towards the end of March 2000.

WAP servers host various applications like stock quotes, bank

account status, airlines ticketing, sales and distribution, traffic information

etc. to mobile users having a WAP enabled mobile handsets (cell phones). The

cell phone and the gateway utilize the data communication services provided by

the cellular network (called the bearer) to send and receive messages between

them. A micro browser runs on the mobile handsets bringing the Internet content

to the user.