13.7 WAP 2.0


WAP 2.0, which was launched in the middle of 2001, is a significant step toward integrating the individual and incompatible technologies of previous WAP releases and the I-Mode technology in Japan. As discussed in previous sections, WAP 1.x uses XML-based WML for queries over the radio. In contrast, I-Mode uses a derivative of HTML called compact HTML. However, both NTT DoCoMo and the WAP Forum have collaborated for the development and support WAP 2.0 and will use them in future networks.

The technical differences from WAP 1.x include a clear division in conceptual components like application environment, protocol framework, security services, and service discovery. The WAP 1.x architecture environment consisted of the user terminal, WAP gateway, and origin server. WAP 2.0 allows application services to be outsourced to capability servers in a WAP network that provide specific application services. There is also incompatibility between the two versions of the protocol, since WAP 2.0 relies more extensively on the Web protocol by adopting XHTML and, hence, is closer to WWW.

WAP 2.0 has been improvised by the support of several aspects of the whole stack, ranging from expansion of supported bearers to a wide range of application services. One of the interesting application-level capabilities and services includes support for color graphics, animations, context-sensitive menus , and data synchronization with desktop personal information management (PIM). WAP 2.0 supports more bearers than the previous WAP release by supporting SMS, FLEX, USSD, and GUTS as well as IP version 4 and IP version 6. Connection-oriented services are enabled by supporting TCP. The service discovery component allows terminals to discover services that are supported in the network. The security services component provides additional security features like end-to-end encryption and PKI support in WAP 2.0 architecture. Security is supported in every layer of the protocol and hence can support extremely secure environments for various Web transactions.



IP in Wireless Networks
IP in Wireless Networks
ISBN: 0130666483
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 164

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