MDMGUEST PROFILE: A MORE ACTIVE MOA ORGANIZATION p .5

SUPERCHARGING BRAZILIAN BUSINESS p .6

NEW CHINESE OPERATOR p .7

A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY p .11

BUILDING A MODEM IN THREE STEPS p .21

VESATILE POS TERMINALS p .24

M O B I L E I N T E R N E TU P D AT E p .1 0

GUEST PROFILE: A MORE ACTIVE MOA ORGANIZATION p .5

SUPERCHARGING BRAZILIAN BUSINESS p .6

NEW CHINESE OPERATOR p .7

A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY p .11

BUILDING A MODEM IN THREE STEPS p .21

VESATILE POS TERMINALS p .24

M O B I L E I N T E R N E TU P D AT E p .1 0

1AR, AT, AU, BU,

BR, BE, CA, CL,

CO, DE, DK, FI,

FR, GB, IN, ID,

IE, IT, KR, CN,

LB, MX, NL, NO,

PE, PL, SG, SE,

TR, US, VE.

M O B I L E D A T A M A G A Z I N E

w w w . e r i c s s o n . s e / m o b i t e x

NO.1 2002.

2 C O N T E N T S . . . J A N 2 0 0 2

5GUEST PROFILE:EXTENDING THE WINDOWNewly elected MOA president AndrewFitton, CEO at UK operator Transcomm,describes what the new organization willmean to MOA as it enters the third phaseof its development.

22MARKET NEWS

· RAM and Partners at Mobile &Wireless· RAD for the mobile Internet· Versatile POS terminal· CNI covers all bands· New Korean modem supplier· Netpad made for busy hands· Intellect Sapphire· Mentor Introduces Stryder· Toughbook 01

6BUSINESS NEWS

· Supercharging Brazilian business· Mobile Internet constructionbegins in China· Wireless data is dependable· In focus at MOA· SuperOnline and Mobicom join forces· WAVE 2002 is coming

MOBILE INTERNETUPDATE

10 MOBILE INTERNETMobitex is driving development of the mobileInternet. Our theme section provides an update onhow development is progressing around the world.

11 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY IN THE UKIn getting to the launch of its new mobile Internetservice, UK operator Transcomm found itself on avoyage of discovery during which much was learnedabout the difficulties in capturing a consumer marketand the potential of Mobitex in key market segments.

12 MOBILE INTERNETOVER MOBITEXAn increasing number of operators are choosing tooffer mobile Internet services based on the platformoffered by Australia’s dotWAP, which features thedotLINK server solution and client software that canturn virtually any wirelessly enabled device into a versatile mobile Internet terminal.

14 THE MOBILEINTERNET EXPERIENCEIN CANADARogers AT&T Wireless discovered that simplicityand reliability are key factors when creating a suc-cessful mobile Internet service on which users canrely. Users will not tolerate interruptions of servicefor whatever reason.

16 MICESS ONE YEAR ONKorea is shaping a mobile Internet that is different inseveral key respects. Starting with stock trading,Intec Telecom has created a compelling portfolio ofapplications and services, and the operator is lookingfor what CEO Won Baek calls “Trojan niches”.

3C O N T E N T S . . . J A N 2 0 0 2

28WANDA WAVEIs the mobile Internet amoving target? Wanda seesthis revolution leaving thedigerati in the dust.

18TECHNOLOGY: DESIGNING A MOBITEXMODEM IN THREE EASY STEPSWell, maybe they aren’t so easy, but the product development process is very straight-forward. Today, much of the hard work has already been done, thus ensuring that an ever-greater number of innovative wireless devices will continue to power the mobileInternet revolution.

26OUTLOOKSaving lives is among the more laudable applications of wireless data. Dr. Rolf Karlsten, a pioneer among wireless data proponents and a driving force in using Mobitex to relaypatient data from ambulances to the receiving physician, describes his vision for how wireless data can further enhance medical care.

LINKSEricsson Mobile Data Design AB S:t Sigfridsgatan 89S-412 66 GothenburgSweden phone: +46-31-344 00 00, fax: +46-31-344 60 00Mobitex information: www.ericsson.com/mobitex, www.mobitex.orgMobitex e-mail addresses at Ericsson:Marketing and sales mobitex.info@erv.ericsson.seCustomer support mobitex.tac@erv.ericsson.seMobitex training center mobitex.training@erv.ericsson.seEricsson links:Ericsson: www.ericsson.comEricsson Mobitex: www.ericsson.com/mobitexMobitex operators featured in this issue:Cingular Wireless, US: www.cingular.comIntec, Korea: www.intectelecom.co.krMobicom, Turkey: www.mobicom.com.trMowic, Sweden: www.mowic.se

RAM Mobile Data, Netherlands: www.ram.nlRogers AT&T Wireless, Canada: www.rogers.comSky Networks Comm Group Co, China: www.skyfol.comTranscomm, UK: www.ram.co.ukTWW, Brazil: www.twoway.com.brUnited Wireless, Australia: www.uw.com.auCompanies and organizations featured in this issue:Aether, US: www.aether.comCML, UK: www.micro.co.ukCNI, Korea: www.cni.co.krDotwap, Australia; www.dotwap.comDuretech, Korea: www.duretech.co.krGoAmerica, US: www.goamerica.comIntellect, Belgium: www.Intellect.beMentor Engineering, Canada: www.mentoreng.comMobitex Operators Associations: www.mobitex.orgOrtivus, Sweden: www.ortivus.comResearch In Motion RIM, Canada: www.rim.netPalm, US: www.palm.comPanasonic, US: www.panasonic.comPsionTeklogix, Canada: www.psionteklogix.comSuperonline, Turkey: www.superonline.com.tr

P U B L I S H E R S ’ S N O T E4

MDM NO.1 2002 / POSTAL ADDRESS: Ericsson Mobile Data Design AB S:t Sigfridsgatan 89, SE-412 66 Gothenburg, Sweden, e-mail

mobitex.info@erv.ericsson.se, Internet www.ericsson.com/mobitex. PUBLISHERS: Pontus Lindqvist. EDITOR: Ingrid Wallgren, tel: +46 31 344 64 40, e-mail

ingrid.wallgren@erv.ericsson.se. CONTRIBUTOR AND EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS: Alan Sheats, Bugli Company AB Stockholm, Sweden, e-mail alan.sheats@bugli.se.

LAYOUT: Peter Menke, Citat Media Production. WEB LAYOUT: Henrik Kool. PRINTED BY: Alfredssons Offset AB, Bollebygd, Sweden. PRE PRESS & REPRINTS: Citat

Media Production AB, Gothenburg, Sweden, e-mail kicki.nordenstrom@citat.se. MOBILE DATA MAGAZINE: is published under Swedish press law by Ericsson Mobile Data

Design AB in cooperation with The Bugli Company. The opinions expressed in Mobile Data Magazine are not necessarily those of Ericsson Mobile Data Design AB. Mobile Data

Magazine is distributed to the international telecommunications community in more than 50 countries.

Mobitex is now being introduced in China, the world’s largestwireless market. Sky Networks Communications Group is cur-rently building a Mobitex network that is designed to serve750,000 subscribers in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities innortheastern China.

The new era now beginning in China will take the tech-nology to new heights. The Mobitex community will bechanged forever. For Ericsson, the breakthrough for Mobitex inChina is the culmination of an effort that began some years ago.The real work began following a market study in early 1999that identified significant potential for Mobitex in China.However, neither of the existing Mobitex frequencies of 400and 900 MHz were suitable for China, so we had to developnew products for 800 MHz. Obtaining technical test licenses,commercial test licenses and commercial licenses for Mobitexand certification of the 800 MHz frequency band were also sig-nificant hurdles to be overcome.

As we have reported in Mobile Data Magazine over thepast year, our progress in overcoming these difficulties has beenvery rapid. This would not have been possible if Ericsson hadnot made a very strong commitment to the Chinese market.Companies such as Symbol, Teklogix, CNI and Ortivus werealso invaluable in achieving this success. First and foremost,however, the technical tests proved to the Chinese authoritiesthat Mobitex is a superior technology that met or exceededtheir most stringent requirements.

We believe that it is impossible to underestimate thepotential in the Chinese market. The appetite for wireless com-munications is almost insatiable. In just five years, mobilephone usage increased from virtually zero to 110 million sub-scribers, making this the fastest wireless take-up in the historyof telecommunications. All forms of wireless communications,

including paging networks, are growing rapidly, and the pro-spects for Mobitex are particularly bright.Realizing this potential will require hard work, however. Thechallenges facing Mobitex suppliers in the Chinese market areformidable. Achieving success without local partners will beimpossible. Yet for companies with strong partners that areable to rise to the challenge and adapt to the local culture, theopportunities are almost unlimited.

There is a need for virtually all types of wireless dataapplications in China. Traditional vertical applications in suchareas as transport, telemetry and security will be in greatdemand. There are already millions of people discovering theimportance of messaging and Internet-based information servi-ces and applications. In a country where wireless subscriberswill far outnumber fixed lines, the benefits of wireless POSapplications and stock trading are obvious.

With China joining the World Trade Organization andplans already being made for the 2008 Olympics, more andmore eyes will be turning to China.

Pontus Lindqvist

G U E S T P R O F I L E 5

ongratulations on becoming the first-ever president of MOA!

Thank you! Becoming president is quite anaccomplishment for a Brit, isn’t it?

As a relative newcomer to the Mobitexcommunity, was accepting the post as president of MOA a difficult decision?

I was obviously very flattered when David Nealeand Jack Barse approached me and asked if I was interested. I naturally had to go back to myboard and ask their opinion. They felt that ifTranscomm was making such a substantial inve-stment in Mobitex and was going to be part ofthe organization, then it was definitely to ouradvantage to be able to play a leading role. Withsuch strong backing, accepting the job as presi-dent of MOA was an easy decision.

What will the new organization mean for MOA?

With the new organization, I believe that we areentering a third phase of development in whichMOA will become a more professional organiza-tion that will be more active in the industry andmore capable of promoting its members inter-ests. Obviously, the new board of directors alsocreates a more streamlined management struc-ture that will allow us to work more efficiently.

What are some of MOA’s goals going forward?

One of the primary tasks will be to create a part-nership program that will be attractive to newmembers. Today we only have just over ten as-sociate members. That’s pitiful. In the UK,Transcomm has hundreds of business partners.Therefore, over the next year, each board member has pledged to devote special effort to

recruiting at least one new developer as an as-sociate member.

What changes do you hope to make?

I believe that too little information is beingexchanged. I would like to see benchmarkingbetween operators. Reports should be producedon all networks that include such statistics ascosts per user. Obviously this informationwould be treated confidentially so that sensitivebusiness data would not be revealed, but withinthe MOA community, we all stand to gain bysharing information with each other.

Is it significant that you as a representa-tive for a 400 MHz operator are the newpresident of MOA?

The 400 MHz operators have some very legiti-mate concerns and face obstacles that operatorsof 800 and 900 MHz networks do not have. The400 MHz operators have met informally severaltimes to discuss these issues, and I expect thatthey will continue to get the attention that theydeserve within MOA. Speaking for Transcomm,we have taken several initiatives, includingcommissioning CNI to develop a 400 MHz version of the TWM III on our behalf, that willbenefit other 400 MHz operators.

What role will the Chinese play within MOA?

There are significant differences in our cultures,and I believe that it will take MOA some timeto adapt to the challenges of Chinese culture.Therefore I do not expect that the new ChineseMobitex operator will play a very active rolewithin MOA initially. China is a huge and stra-tegically important market for Mobitex, how-ever, and I expect that we will all become increa-

singly involved over the coming years. MOAassociate members, in particular, will have animportant role to play as business partners forlocal Chinese companies and in helping to ensu-re that Mobitex realizes its potential in China.

What are Mobitex prospects in today’s market?

I believe that the window of opportunity forMobitex is being extended. We have a proventechnology that is available now and extremelycost-effective. That has already won us a signifi-cant share of many markets. Now the problemsand delays that GPRS and 3G operators are expe-riencing are creating opportunities for Mobitex.We simply have to be smarter than the others. Wehave to realize that we will not win every battle,but like the Chinese philosopher who observedthat a good general does not lose a battle that hedoes not intend to lose, we must choose our tar-gets carefully and identify the applications andmarket segments that play to Mobitex’ strengths.

Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, but I increa-singly have the feeling that Mobitex is at thetipping point. In the US, one could argue that ithas already happened. Mobitex is mentionedfrequently in the national media, and RIM’sBlackBerry is nearly a household word. We’renot quite there yet on the global level, but myfeeling is that we are close. In targeting our mar-kets, we simply have to increase the uniquenessof our value proposition for the customer.

CMobile Data Magazine took the opportunity to talk with Andrew Fitton, who was elected

as president at the recent meeting of the Mobitex Operators Association in Gothenburg.

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MOBILEBUS INESS

NEWS

TWW do Brasil S/A is a newMobitex operator in Brazil whosemanagement has a refreshinglydifferent view of the wireless datamarket and an almost philoso-phical approach to marketingthat emphasizes thinking out ofthe box. Formed as PageNet in1996, TWW changed its namelast year and recently began ope-rating a Mobitex network.

“We believe that when youthink wireless, you think creati-vely,” says Anthony Pain, CEOat TWW. “We want to take awaythe crutch. We want to tellcustomers, ‘Don’t just walk, startrunning!’ because we believethat wireless data is a paradigmshift that will help companies re-shape themselves.”

TWW started its Mobitexoperations in 2001 and will focusprimarily on the main economiccenters of Brazil: São Paulo andRio de Janeiro. This is the coun-try’s most populous region, ac-counting for more than 40 per-cent of the Brazilian GDP. To-day the Mobitex network provi-des coverage in Sao Paulo and

Rio, but it will be expanded instages over a short period of timeto cover all of southern Brazil.Through a third-party satelliteprovider, TWW will also offercoverage in rural areas.

As Anthony Pain points out,however, there are 15 Braziliancities with a population of morethan one million. As the Mobitexnetwork is gradually expandedover the months and years tocome, these densely populatedregions will provide fertile groundfor wireless data applications.

COMBATINGMARKETINGMYOPIA

Although TWW will continue tooperate its paging network whichcurrently has some 50,000 subscri-bers and remains a growing busi-ness, the new Mobitex operator isnot targeting the horizontal mar-ket at this time. Instead, TWW’sis targeting corporate customers.Partners are primarily businessconsultants who have established

relationships with senior manage-ment and are thus able to presentnew ways of viewing the customercompany’s business.

“We’re looking for the visio-naries who do not suffer from mar-keting myopia,” explains SergioSantos Rutowitsch, the companychief operating officer, noting thatthe classic change from trains toairplanes was also a paradigmshift. Had the railway companiesof that time understood that theirbusiness was transporting peopleand goods and not focused onbeing cheaper than the emergingairlines the history of transpor-tation would have been much different.

“When senior managers andmanagement consultants percei-ve that wireless technology is notjust one more method for costsaving, but a new dimension inefficiency that improves manage-ment in virtually all areas of busi-ness where fast decisions areessential for beating the competi-tion, the Mobitex network willbegin to realize its immensepotential. Our business is to helpother companies to use wirelessdata to create stronger businessesand become more competitive,”says Sergio Rutowitsch.

One example of an area inwhich the new operator is suc-cessfully applying this philosop-hy is wireless asset tracking tohelp insurance companies tracestolen cars. This not only helpsthe insurers to reduce costs forclaims and lower insurance pre-miums. Customers appreciate thespeed with which stolen vehiclescan be located and returned.

Other vertical markets inwhich the new Brazilian Mobitexoperator sees significant opportu-nities are wireless point-of-saleapplications for the retailing andbanking sectors and wireless tele-metry for security applications.In addition, TWW sees conside-rable potential for mobileInternet and intranet applica-tions among corporate customers,where the marketing strategy isnot just to automate existing pro-cesses, but to achieve synergies ata high level in the company.

“The wireless decision isforever. The essence of change isto open minds to the potential forenhancing the business,” notesSergio Rutowitsch, who is clearlyintent on supercharging Brazilianbusinesses with wireless data.

SUPERCHARGING BRAZILIAN

BUSINESS

John Swendsen, Donald Pearson, Anthony Pain and Sergio Santos Rutowitsch

“We be l i eve t ha twhen you t h i nkwire less , youth i nk crea t i ve l y.”

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7B U S I N E S S N E W S

MOBILE INTERNETCONSTRUCTIONBEGINS IN

CHINAThe new Chinese Operator, SkyNetworks and CommunicationGroup Co. Ltd., is set to startbuilding the mobile Internet inChina. With Ericsson’s Mobitextechnology, a wireless data net-work will be built that is desig-ned to serve up to 750,000 usersand to provide coverage of nort-hern China centering on Beijingand southern China centering onShanghai.

IDEAL TECHNO-LOGY FOR CHINA

“Mobitex is an ideal technologyfor Beijing and other interna-tional metropolis and denselypopulated areas,” says Mr. ChenYuanming, CEO of Sky Networksand Communication Group.“Mobitex’s very efficient use ofradio spectrum and high capaci-ty and reliability, plus the avai-lability of a wide range of termi-nal products, allow us to bringwireless data and messaging to alarge number of users quickly andcost-efficiently. More important-ly, Mobitex is being advanced byEricsson, which is a large andwell-respected player in theChinese market.”

Although the new ChineseMobitex operator is initially fo-cusing on mobile Internet servi-ces for stock trading and messa-ging, value-added applications insuch areas as telemetry/monitor-ing and logistics will play animportant role. In fact, one of thefirst applications for the networkis a parking application inspiredby the operator’s visits toGothenburg, Sweden, wherewireless data is used to relay data

about parking availability ininner-city garages to informationsigns on the outskirts of the city.Other applications that are underdevelopment include meter rea-ding for Capital Steel factory andmobile office for public safety.

The Sky Group is an experi-enced operator whose wirelesscommunications business includespaging, cellular and satellite net-works. Equally important as thenetworks it operates, the SkyGroup has created a powerfuldata center and a call center thatinterconnect the networks andprovide various services. In crea-ting the mobile Internet, the SkyGroup will thus act as an Internetservice provider and an Internetdata network provider.

TERMINALS KEYTO SUCCESS

“With Mobitex, we will beginby focusing on large customerswith large needs,” says ChenYuanming. Initial customers forlogistics solutions, for example,will consist of large public-sectortransport companies. These com-panies will undoubtedly beginwith simple dispatching applica-tions, but the Chinese Mobitexoperator will help them to deve-lop more sophisticated fleetmanagement systems.

Chen Yuanming believesthat terminals will be crucial inopening the market. “Our goalsinclude offering terminals that arereasonably priced yet offer supe-rior functionality for the intendedtask. We will therefore be intro-ducing no fewer than five termi-nals,” reveals Chen Yuanming.

One terminal will be a simplewireless e-mail and messagingdevice being developed entirelyin-house by the Sky Group. Aspecial terminal for wirelessstock trading and a wireless ver-sion of an existing Chinese PDAwill be developed in joint ventu-res with local partners. Finally,customized versions of a wirelessmessaging device and a wirelessPDA will be sourced from aforeign supplier.

EXCITINGDEVELOPMENTAHEAD

Equipment has been delivered toChina, and construction of theMobitex network in Beijing isnow commencing. Commercialservice is expected to start in early

2002, with network expansioncontinuing throughout the year.

“This is a very exciting deve-lopment for Mobitex,” says JanMalm, president of Ericsson(China) Company Ltd. “Withdemand for all types of wirelesscommunications growing morerapidly in China than anywhereelse in the world, China offers anenormous market for Mobitex,and Ericsson is committed tohelp making the Sky Group’s newMobitex service a success.”

Tomas Lundkvist, Chen Yuanming and Mingwei Liu

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B U S I N E S S N E W S8

More than 100 representativesfrom Mobitex operators, associatemembers and others from theMobitex community gathered inGothenburg Sweden on October14 to 17, 2001 for the annualmeeting of the Mobitex OperatorsAssociation at which the mobileInternet and new devices weremajor themes.

New devices were presentedby no fewer than four vendors,including Psion Techlogix, CNI,Mentor and Duretech, and repre-

sentatives from several other ven-dors were on hand to give sneakpreviews of devices still in thepipeline. These devices, many ofwhich are presented in ourMarket News section, includednot only new PDAs (PersonalDigital Assistants) and OEMradio modems, but also new wire-less POS (point-of-sale) termi-nals. In addition to their manyimpressive features, these newdevices demonstrated convin-cingly that the previous shortageof products for 400 MHz Mobitexnetworks is a thing of the past.

Real-world experience frommobile Internet services inCanada, Korea, the UK and theUS were presented, and partici-pants were able to talk withrepresentatives from the newChinese Operator Sky NetworksCommunication Group abouttheir plans. Mobile Internet is

already a large and rapidlygrowing market for Mobitex, butexperience from around theworld suggests that the whitecollar corporate and corporatevertical segments, rather thanthe consumer or mobile profes-sional segments, provide the bestopportunities for Mobitex.

“There was a very high level oftransparency. As a new operator,we felt that the meeting broughtus closer to partners and made usstronger,” says Sergio Rutowitsch,chief operating officer at TWWdo Brasil S.A, which was repre-sented at the MOA meeting forthe first time.

DEVICES AND MOBILE INTERNETINFOCUSAT MOA

At the meeting of the MobitexOperators Association inGothenburg on October 14 to17, 2001, a board of directorswas elected in accordance withMOA’s new status as a non-pro-fit corporation. The new corpo-ration, which is registered inthe US, introduces severalimportant changes in MOA’sorganization. MOA is now hea-ded by a president and governedby a five-member board ofdirectors. Full MOA members,who are Mobitex operators,

elect the president, who is also aboard member, and three otherboard members. Associatemembers elect the fifth memberof the board of directors.

New board members electedin Gothenburg are AndrewFitton (Transcomm, UK), DavidNeale (Rogers AT&T Wireless,Canada), Won Baek (IntecTelecom, Korea), Bill Hogg whohas since been replaced by LeeRudolph (also from CingularWireless, US) and PontusLindqvist (Ericsson, Sweden).

NEW MOABOARD OF DIRECTORS

Can customers find your solution?The Mobitex website www.erics-son.se/mobitex contains a com-prehensive application databasethat is an invaluable resource forcustomers seeking wireless datasolutions. If your company has aMobitex application, you canregister it in Ericsson’s databaseso that customers can find it.

Applications are classifiedaccording to market segment,geographic market and function-ality. The information availablefor each application includes a

short description, as well as howlong it has been available com-mercially or whether it is still indevelopment, number of users,contact information etc.

NEW MOA

APPLICATION DATABASE

Peter Gavigan and Jack Barse

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Security has become an impor-tant concern in the US in thewake of the terrorist attacks onSeptember 11. As public authori-ties begin looking at ways toimprove communications andshare real-time information inresponding to emergencies, theyare coming to realize that theinfrastructure is already in placeand that Mobitex provides thecapabilities they need.

After the recent terroristactions against the US, membersof Congress and their staffsfound themselves largely cut offfrom reliable sources of infor-mation and from one another. As a result of new investmentthe Congress is now better pre-pared with wireless devices and can keep up business and keep in touch away from office.BlackBerry wireless handheldsare now widely deployed usingCingular Mobitex network.

Through another initia-tive, Aether has deployed its mo-bile law enforcement productPocketBlueTM, which is beingused by investigative officersthroughout the state of Mary-

land and in Washington D.C.These officers are equipped withBlackBerry wireless handheldsand Palm wireless PDAs that also allow them to share informa-tion using Cingular Wireless’smessaging service and to accessthe National Crime InformationCenter (NCIC) database fromthe field.

“The national mobile datainfrastructure that exists today isan incredible asset. When cellu-lar phones become overloaded,the RIM BlackBerry devices veryoften remain operational. Today,wireless data is dependable,” saysCharley Vlcek, vice president ofstrategic projects at wireless solu-tions provider Aether SystemsInc., which recently joined withMaryland Lieutenant GovernorKathleen Kennedy Townsend, aswell as federal, state and localofficials, to launch its ownHomeland Security Initiative.The success of HomelandSecurity will largely depend onone factor – the ability to act ontimely information. Today, over1,000 law enforcement agencieshave this capability.

WIRELESS DATAIS DEPENDABLE

CINGULAR WIRELESS ANNOUNCES

WAVE 2002

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Billed as the wireless conferencewhere business gets done, WAVE2002 will be held from May 13to 15 in Orlando, Florida at theGaylord Palms Resort and Con-vention Center. Now in its sixthyear, WAVE is a dynamic forumwhere you can present businessopportunities, create profitablealliances, exchange ideas and dis-cover emerging wireless business

strategies, applications and tech-nologies. Ericsson and MOA aretwo of the main sponsors of thisevent, which was attended bymore than 900 persons last year.Attendance has been growing by30 percent annually, while thenumber of exhibitors rises by asmuch as 25 percent each year, sobe sure to make plans early.

Turkish Mobitex operatorMobicom and SuperOnline, aTurkish ISP, are now one compa-ny. Seeing significant synergiesbetween the two businesses, theowners moved to create a singlecompany that will continue topursue such successful markets aswireless POS and telemetry, whileopening new markets. With itsexisting customer base of Internetusers and experience of web servi-ces, SuperOnline brings signifi-cant assets to the new company,while Mobicom with its Mobitexnetwork can add a new dimensionof wireless access and mobility.

WAVE 2002ORLANDOFLORIDA

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The new interactive lifestyle that wireless data enables is helping more andmore people to access information when and where it is needed and torespond instantly to important events regardless of their location. Withwireless access, the vast resources of the Internet become ubiquitous.However great a force the Internet may be in shaping tomorrow’s society, itis mobility that will unleash its power and put it in the hands of users withwireless devices. The stories and solutions that we present here are not futurescenarios as pictured by high-tech visionaries. These are real-world examplesof how Mobitex is creating the mobile Internet today.

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10 M O B I L E I N T E R N E T

With a brand new 400 MHz version ofCNI’s superbly designed TWM3 handheld,opening a mass market for mobile Internet ser-vices in the UK seemed like a no brainer. Inwhat managing director Andrew Fitton descri-bes as a voyage of discovery, UK Mobitex ope-rator Transcomm learned a number of valuablelessons and discovered that creating a marketfor mobile Internet services involves severalsignificant challenges.

SEEKING STRONGPARTNERS

“Our initial vision was based on gradual pene-tration of wireless data and mobile Internet ser-vices in the business and consumer horizontalmarkets over the period from 1999 to 2002,with a target of 250,000 subscribers by 2005,”notes Andrew Fitton, CEO at Transcomm.“Our business plan was well conceived. We feltthat we had the network, the devices and thecontent and applications required for a verycompetitive offering. However, we did not realize at that point that there were stormclouds ahead.”

The first difficulties that the UK operatorexperienced related to distribution for horizon-tal markets. For retail sales to consumers andmobile professionals, Transcomm sought apartner that could contribute branding, distri-bution, logistics and warehousing, as well ascustomer care and billing. Although discus-sions continue with several possible partners,Transcomm still has not solved this problem.“Although we have a very strong offering, trendsare converging, particularly in the consumermarket, that constitute significant barriers,”continues Andrew Fitton. “Obviously the con-sumer market is extremely competitive, withdownward price trends and substantial opera-tor subsidies for devices. The PDA market,which was empty when Palm, Psion and othersarrived on the scene, is now overcrowded. Atthe same time, the initial WAP experience hasbeen negative, leading to a slowing in sales ofboth handsets and PDAs.”

ADAPTING TO MARKETCHANGES

Continued market research revealed somedisturbing trends. For example, a comparisonof forecasts for UK mobile data penetration

C U S T O M E R P E R S P E C T I V E 11

A Transcomm is that they play to our strengths.We have a network that provides the coveragethat these groups demand, and we have devicesthat will support the applications they need towork more effectively.”

In addition to a 400 MHz version of theTWM3 handheld, which Transcomm commis-sioned from Korean manufacturer CNI, the UKoperator is planning to market a wireless cradlefor Palm PDAs being produced by Maxon andan as-yet-unannounced handheld messagingdevice that will compete directly with RIM’sBlackBerry device for GPRS.

MOVING CLOSER TO LAUNCH

“Just when we thought that we had weatheredall the storms and finally had all the pieces inplace, lightening struck again,” says AndrewFitton. “The telecom market collapse in 2000was a severe blow for everyone, and even todayits effects remain evident. Investor funding hasdried up. The mobile voice market has becomesaturated. The hype surrounding 3G andGPRS is deafening.”

“Nonetheless, it is worth noting that noone has successfully launched a mobile Internetservice in the UK to date. We therefore remainconfident that we will get there in the end.Transcomm still has time to build the customerproposition, and I see an expanding window ofopportunity over the next 12 to 24 months,”concludes Andrew Fitton.

The mobile Internet revolution is thus justbeginning in the UK, and Transcomm’s voyageof discovery indicates that it will be a differentexperience for British users. As Transcommbegins pilot tests of its services prior to launch,the first mobile Internet users are likely to betraders on the floor of the London StockExchange or estate agents showing countryhouses to prospective buyers.

“We have i den t i f i ed t he segmen t i n wh ichthe va l ue o f mob i l eI n t erne t access i s very h i gh .”

voyage of discovery

published by Strategy Analytics in 1999 andby the ARC Group in 2001, revealed that theprojected market growth was delayed by abouttwo years and that the expected penetration by2005 would be lower than originally esti-mated. In addition, the rapid changes takingplace in the market forced Transcomm torefocus on somewhat different market seg-ments with greater potential for Mobitex.

“Without the support of a strong retailpartner able to help us address the issues ofbranding, pricing and distribution, we had toconclude that the consumer and mobile profes-sional markets would be difficult to penetrate.While we certainly are not giving up thesemarkets, our research indicates that there aresignificant opportunities over the short term inwhat can be described as the white collar cor-porate and corporate vertical segments,” revealsAndrew Fitton.

These are segments in which the perceivedvalue of wireless messaging and mobileInternet access is very high. Examples includefinancial workers, such as stockbrokers andinsurance agents, white-collar professionals,particularly in such areas as real estate and law,and sales representatives for pharmaceuticalmanufacturers and other companies involved inbusiness-to-business marketing.

“Our research indicates that the businessmarket will still account for about 40 percentof the mobile data market by 2005 and that thewhite collar corporate and corporate verticalsegments in turn will account for about 40 per-cent of that market,” says Andrew Fitton.“What makes them particularly attractive for

■

13C U S T O M E R P E R S P E C T I V E

he mobile Internet presents a numberof opportunities for wireless ASPs(Application Service Providers). In the

Mobitex market, one Wireless ASP that hasbeen quick to identify and exploit these oppor-tunities is dotWAP.com Pty Limited HoldingInc., an Australian company with European

offices in Sweden that also owns the AustralianMobitex network. Key to the company’s suc-cess is its dotLINK server solution.

COMPLETE SERVICESOLUTION

The dotLINK product developed by dotWAPis a complete solution for mobile Internet overMobitex. Unlike some products that merelyprovide IP connectivity over Mobitex,dotLINK offers a complete platform thatallows Mobitex operators and service providersto address the PDA and laptop markets. WithdotLINK, they thus have the potential to reachlarge volume markets with a powerful packagebased on Internet and industry standards.

Central to this solution is the dotLINKgateway and server system, which is currentlyinstalled in Mobitex networks in Australia,Hong Kong and the Netherlands. This is theserver-side component that is typically instal-led in the operator’s network and which provi-des a gateway to various Internet services.Equally important, however, is the NEO1 sof-tware for the client, which integrates a tri-mode (WAP, HTML and i-Mode) browser, aPOP3 e-mail client, a corporate e-mail clientfor Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino, avirtual IP driver that supports TCP and UDPapplications over Mobitex and a SyncLib

component to handle push traffic to the device.The NEO1 client software is currently avai-lable for the Palm and Pocket PC operatingsystems, as well as the one used on the CNI PDAs.

“With our dotLINK application servicesolution, virtually any wirelessly enabled device

can be easily turned into a versatile mobileInternet terminal that is able to access Internetor corporate intranet-based content and ser-vices, as well as WAP portals and service," saysRoss Symons, chief technology officer atdotWAP in Australia.

COMPELLING USERSERVICES

The Mobitex device communicates with thedotLINK server via a Mobitex IP Gatewayinstalled in the network, thus providing a bridge between Mobitex and IP-basednetworks. The dotLINK server system acts onbehalf of the client to access other servers andgateways, which may include WAP portals,Palm.Net servers, WAP-enabled Internetcontent, e-mail (POP3 and IMAP) and SMSgateways, or corporate intranets. In additionto these services, the dotLINK server systemprovides billing functionality and wirelesssubscription management and can be easilyexpanded as traffic increases.

This rich environment in combinationwith support for a wide range of devices,offers operators and service providers manyopportunities for creating compelling mobileInternet services. With the platform providedby the dotLINK server system and the NEO1 client software, operators can create

compelling mobile Internet services targeted toa number of volume markets. Particularly in-teresting for corporate customers is the abilityto access intranet-based services and contentand a new corporate e-mail solution that allowsthe e-mail gateway to be located behind thecorporate firewall.

With dotLINK servers running on Mobitexnetworks in three countries and discussions inprogress with operators in several othercountries, dotWAP is set to play a key role asthe mobile Internet expands on Mobitex.

“The NEO1 c l i en t so f tware i s curren t l yava i l ab l e f or t he Pa lm ,pocke t PC and CNI opera t i ng sys tems .”

T

■

THE MOBILEEXPER IENCE

INTERNETIN CANADA

Creating a successful mobileInternet service clearly requireshard work and strong partners.As the Canadian experienceshows, however, a successful ser-vice creates even more work foroperators and becomes a learn-ing experience for everyoneinvolved. Users, on the otherhand, quickly become spoiledand come to expect a com-pletely seamless service onwhich they can rely. Delays or

interruptions will notbe tolerated.

anadian Mobitex operator Rogers AT&TWireless in cooperation with severalbusiness partners offers users a rich

mobile Internet experience that includes a vari-ety of messaging, information, m-commerceand entertainment services. The RIM 957 hand-held was launched with the BlackBerry Internetedition and the GoAmerica browser in July2000 and became an immediate success.Although messaging still accounts for the majo-rity of traffic, use of other services is increasing.Average revenue per user (ARPU) is CAD 43per month and rising.

“Simplicity and reliability are the two keyfactors for our users,” notes David Neale, vicepresident for network strategy and productdevelopment at Rogers AT&T Wireless and for-mer MOA chairman. “Of course, Mobitex tech-nology is extremely reliable, so users can counton messages reaching their recipient and trans-actions completing successfully. The service alsois very user-friendly and provides the mobileInternet experience that users want.”

For operators and other providers wishingto offer a successful mobile Internet service,however, there are some important lessons to belearned from Canada. “Long latencies and inter-ruptions of service are totally unacceptable,”explains David Neale, adding that users quicklybecome accustomed and dependant to an inte-ractive service that makes information availablewherever they are. “If the service doesn’t work,users don’t understand why. They just get upsetvery quickly.”

CREATING PERSONALPROFILES

“What we have learned from focus groups andother studies is that most customers are unableto differentiate between content, transport orapplication layer failures,” reveals David Neale.“This means that mobile Internet services must

be very tightly integrated and that content andservice providers and application developersmust work together to provide a user experien-ce that is totally seamless.”

“Operators must realize that there are alsomultiple points of failure, such as web mail, gate-way and redirector services for messaging,” con-tinues David Neale. “While it may be temptingto offer many different kinds of services, theymust be totally reliable before they are launched.Operators must also remember that users wantsimple services and that all services need to betested with actual users before they go live.”

To enhance the user experience, RogersAT&T Wireless allows users to create personali-zed start pages via the operator’s website. Thereare three pre-defined profiles, which are labeledWell Connected, Smart Business and Cool Stuffto reflect different lifestyles. After choosing oneof these alternatives, the user can further custo-mize the start page by adding different servicesand favorite locations and by configuring vari-ous settings. In addition to making the servicemore personal, the ability to customize startpages makes it easier for users to change devicesor to use different devices at different times.

Interactive and location-based informationand m-commerce services are steadily gainingground. Somewhat surprisingly, the most popu-lar service by far is weather reports, followed bysearch engine, travel and local information ser-vices. On the other hand, the heavy use of suchservices shows that people on the move are thegroup that find them most valuable.

ELIMINATINGCONGESTION

“One of the most difficult problems that weencountered in getting the service to runsmoothly was congestion at base stations, par-

ticularly in sections of Toronto,” reports DavidNeale. “Like many international cities, Torontohas a relatively small and very concentratedfinancial district where there may be hundredsof users trying to use the service simultaneously.In many cases, they don’t move outside the basestation area all day long. They also have easyaccess to phones and PCs connected to theInternet, but they prefer to use the wirelesshandheld device because it is more personal andmore convenient.”

Caught somewhat by surprise by the heavytraffic, Rogers AT&T Wireless was forced to actquickly to add channels and create multi-fre-quency sites. The Canadian Mobitex operatoralso found other remedies, which included in-creasing antenna down-tilt and reducing power. “Our experience with mobile Internet and wire-less e-mail services indicates that considerableplanning is required to eliminate these conges-tion points. Traffic data shows that 15 percent ofthe customer base generates 90 percent of thetraffic. These are also the users who are mostlikely to gather together in the same place, suchas the financial district,” notes David Neale.

MEETING USER EXPECTATIONS

“We worked very hard with our partnersGoAmerica and RIM to offer our customersBlackBerry with Internet services. Since the ser-vice was launched nearly two years ago, it hasbeen tremendously successful, proving that weoffer a simple, reliable and truly integrated ser-vice that users find indispensable.

“Our mobile Internet service goes fromstrength to strength. It has the lowest churnrate of all the many services that Rogers AT&TWireless operates. More and more people areusing it and becoming dependent on it. Wecouldn’t ask for greater success than that,” con-cludes David Neale.

“S imp l i c i t y and re l i ab i l i t y are t hetwo key f ac tors f or our users .”C

C U S T O M E R P E R S P E C T I V E 15

SERVICE RANK

Weather 1Search Engine/Tools 2Travel 3TTown/Local Information 3TNews/Information 5Shopping 6Living 7Entertainment 8Work Matters 9Mobile Banking 10Personal Finance/Stocks, Quotes and Trades 11Sports 12

Search Engine /Tools = Search Engine for the Web,Dictionary, Reference.

Travel = Traffic Update, Airline /Train Update, Vaca-tion Resources, Lodging, Car Rental.

News / Information = Financial News.

Shopping = Auctions, Gifts and Flowers, ComparisonShopping, Buyers Guides, Computers and Gadgets.

Living = Gourmet /Recipes, Toddler Watch, Chat, Com-munities, Craft and lifestyle, Health /Nutrition / FitnessResources, Family Advice / Recources. Location / Tracking.

Work Matters = Small business Resources, CareerResources, Job Search.

■

The mobile Internet is takingoff in Korea. The country’sMobitex operator Intec Telecomlaunched its Micess mobileInternet access service towardsthe end of 2000 and has steadilybeen adding subscribers.

17C U S T O M E R P E R S P E C T I V E

he unique features of the Mobitexnetwork and our Micess service give us asignificant advantage in the market,” says

Won Baek, MOA board member and CEO ofIntec Telecom. “Much hard work remains, butwe are confident that our strategy will be suc-cessful and that we will achieve our targets.”

Korea is a challenging market for mobileInternet services in many respects. Mobiletelephone penetration is now above 50 percent,with CDMA as the dominant technology, andpagers remain popular. Koreans are very know-ledgeable about technology, well educated andrelatively affluent. The country is also home tomany world-renowned high tech companies.Korea was severely affected by the Asian crisisof the late 1990s but has recovered rapidly.Stock prices slumped, and technology stocks inparticular remain depressed. However, this hasnot stopped Koreans from stock trading.

“More than three million Koreans are ac-tive stock market traders. The popularity ofsecurities trading is probably attributable tothe fact that we Koreans like to take risks,”notes Won Baek.

Stock trading was the first mobileInternet service launched. A special applicationwas developed for the TWM3 wireless hand-held that provides stock price information andcharts, stock market news and special screensfor buying and selling stocks. The applicationis currently used by ten stock brokerage firms.There is a fixed monthly fee of USD 35 for theservice, which is typically paid by the broker-age for VIP customers.

Customers are very pleased with the appli-cation. “The display is much larger than onother hand-held devices. The menu is easy tounderstand and selections can be made bysimply clicking on the icons,” says Moon HongJo of the Korean Investment Trust Manage-ment & Securities Company (KITC).

UNIQUE TRAFFICPATTERNS

The Micess service for the consumer market soonfollowed. In addition to various forms of wirelessmessaging, such as Internet e-mail and inter-active messaging, Micess includes WAP accessto popular websites, interactive games and avariety of information services. A fixed monthlyfee of USD 27 is charged for the service.

“We experienced some initial problemswith applications and content, and the servicehad to be re-launched in May 2001. Now theMicess service is running smoothly and is

quickly becoming the success that we antici-pated. Thousands of subscribers are signing upeach month,” reports Won Baek. Korean mo-bile Internet users show a somewhat uniquetraffic pattern. Because the TWM3 deviceincludes a WAP browser, WAP traffic is great-er than any other application. This is closelyfollowed by stock market information, while e-mail comes far down on the list.

TROJAN NICHES

Intec Telecom is looking for what Won Baekrefers to as Trojan niches for Mobitex technolo-gy. “The real challenges are not from othertechnologies,” says Baek, who has carefully stu-died the CDMA2000 technology now beingintroduced in Korea. “We need to focus onniche markets and form strategic alliances thatleverage the unique benefits of Mobitex.”

One such Trojan niche in which the Koreanoperator sees considerable potential is gamb-ling. Intec Telecom has worked with the KoreaRacing Association to develop a betting appli-cation for use at race tracks that exploitsMobitex’ unique strengths. People betting onhorse races naturally want the most up-to-daterace-related information, which can easily bedelivered to a wireless handheld device.However, they also tend to wait until the lastminute before placing their bets, meaning thathundreds or even thousands of transactionsmust be processed simultaneously. This iswhere all other wireless technologies breakdown, while Mobitex, which was designedfrom the start to handle short, bursty data andhundreds of users per channel, really shines.

“

T VALUABLE LESSONSLEARNED

Intec Telecom is working hard to identify otherTrojan niches for its network services, in whichthe mobile Internet, WAP and IP connectivitywill play an increasingly important role. Thenext major application area will undoubtedlybe wireless POS (point-of-sale) services, forwhich CNI has developed both a wireless POSterminal and a wireless POS attachment for theTWM3 that are described in greater detail inthe Market News section. “We are targetingthe fixed wireless POS segment, rather than themobile POS market,” says Won Baek. “Ourfocus will be on fast transaction times and lowservices fees. We will also include additionalfunctions for advertising and CRM (customerrelationship management) that will takeadvantage of WAP and Internet connectivity.”

“In summary, we are still struggling to achievethe success to which we aspire,” concludes WonBaek. “However, we have learned some impor-tant lessons that will ensure that success. Wenow have very flexible business models andwell orchestrated marketing plans for carefullyselected target markets. In addition, we haveenhanced our network and now offer veryrobust applications and higher quality devicesat lower prices. We have opened up a consumermarket and continue to gain ground in verticalmarkets.”

“Peop le be t t i ng on horse races na tura l l ywan t t he mos t up - t o -da te i n f orma t i on .”

■

Don´t miss the 2002 FIFA World Cup soccer championship in Korea/Japan.

BUILDING A MODEM IN

Design the hardware. De-velop the software. Testthe completed product.These are the three easysteps for building aMobitex modem. Well,maybe they aren’t so easy,but the design process forproducing a Mobitexmodem is very straight-forward. Luckily, much ofthe hard work has alreadybeen done. Today there area variety of tools and hard-ware and software com-ponents readily availablefor building a Mobitexmodem. Ericsson can alsoprovide extensive supportfor testing and verificationof the final product.

times the only alternative when a customdesign is required.”

single integrated circuit. Other approaches areto use a general-purpose DSP (digital signalprocessor) chip or a powerful CPU (central processing unit) chip, both of which can beprogrammed to perform the required basebandsignal processing functions, as well as othersignal processing. The CPU can also provideenough processing power to host onboardapplications and a Java virtual machine (JVM).

An important component in the softwarerequired for a Mobitex radio modem is the pro-tocol stack. Technically, a protocol stack is theset of protocols that work together on variouslevels to enable communication over thenetwork. For a complex protocol suite, such asIP (Internet Protocol), the protocol stack mustsupport not only the familiar higher-level pro-tocols ftp (file transfer protocol) and http(hypertext transfer protocol), but dozens ofother less familiar protocols. Mobitex is muchsimpler, requiring only MASC and MPAKprotocols (see following sidebar) for basic fun-ctionality. It is worth noting, however, that theprotocol stacks used in many Mobitex termi-nals also support additional protocols for POS(point-of-sale) applications, for example, aswell as extensions for such purposes as datacompression and encryption.

“Developing the protocol stack and associ-ated software required for the basic radiomodem functionality is a challenging task,”notes Folke Bergqvist. “For this reason, manydesigners of wireless data terminals elect to useOEM modems for Mobitex, which are availab-le from a variety of sources and typically pro-vide a high-level application programminginterface (API) for developers. Alternatively,several suppliers offer software packages thatcan be integrated with the modem hardware.This approach requires more work and involvesmore low-level programming, but it is some-

Design the hardware.The radio modem is

the core component in any wireless ter-minal device and the component that providesthe network connection. In addition tonetwork connectivity, a fully functional termi-nal, whether it is a wireless PDA (personaldigital assistant) or a POS (point-of-sale) ter-minal, must provide some form of user interfa-ce that allows input and display of the databeing sent and received over the network. Sincethe focus in this article is on radio modems, wewill not be concerned with the many differenttypes of terminal devices used on Mobitexnetworks. However, it is important to considerthe interfaces that a radio modem provides tosupport terminal applications.

Typically, a radio modem provides connec-tors for an antenna, a power supply and a serialinterface. Data is normally exchanged betweenthe modem and the terminal via the serialinterface. In addition to this interface, someradio modems, such as the Ericsson M3000series of OEM modems, employ I2 C or someother interface that is more powerful and versa-tile than the standard RS-232C serial interface.In most cases, the actual data being exchangedover the network is still handled by the serialinterface, while the second interface is used forcommunication between the modem and theapplication. As will become clearer below, theserial interface is often called the MASC port,since it uses the Mobitex asynchronous com-munications protocol exclusively.

“Basically, a Mobitex radio modem imple-ments the functionality required for the lowestlevels of data communication, which are the phy-sical, link and network layers,” explains FolkeBergqvist, chief technology officer Mobitex atEricsson Mobile Data Design. “Primarily this isdone in hardware, but software called firmwarethat is embedded in the modem plays an impor-tant role. Some OEM modems, such as ourM3000 products, are also able to host onboardapplications, while others are designed to be con-nected to a separate data terminal.”

19T E C H N O L O G Y / S T R A T E G Y

▼

Step one:

Write the software.The hardware requi-

red for a Mobitex modem can be imple-mented in a number of ways, depending in partin how much software will be hosted on themodem. The simplest approach is to use a spe-cial chip, such as the CMX909B fromConsumer Microcircuits Limited (CML), whichcontains all the baseband signal processingfunctions required for a Mobitex modem in a

Step two:

Test the device.The final step in

building a Mobitex radio modem is tomake sure that it works. This naturally inclu-des verifying the design and testing the basichardware and software functions, steps that arenormally completed before a prototype is pro-duced and further development work is begun.More importantly, however, the designers mustverify that the Mobitex protocol has beenimplemented correctly and that the modemfunctions correctly on the network under avariety of traffic conditions. Some of these testscan be performed using emulation software,but final testing requires a live network.

“We can provide a number of time-savingtools and services during the testing and verifi-cation stages to help designers get their pro-duct to market faster,” notes Folke Bergqvist.“Ericsson has extensive modem expertise thatour business partners can leverage. We can alsoassist in ROSI, MASC and Radio Performanceverification. Naturally, these services are provi-ded under strict confidentiality.”

As was recently announced, Ericsson doesnot currently plan to develop any new Mobitexmodems. Instead, the company will continueto support the M3000 series OEM radio mo-dems for Mobitex and to assist third-party sup-pliers in developing new radio modem products.Companies wishing to develop Mobitex modemscan thus count on Ericsson’s expertise and restassured that Ericsson is committed to helpingits partners succeed in their targeted marketsand to making Mobitex an even greater success.

Step three:

The term modem is actually a contraction ofMOdulator/DEModulator. The modem thusmodulates and demodulates the radio frequencycarrier with a signal to be transmitted or re-ceived. This is the baseband signal, which is ananalog signal that contains the bit stream that is the input or output on the radio port.

The digital bit stream is coded accordingto ROSI, the Mobitex RadiO SIgnaling proto-col, which in turn carries the MPAKs used fordata exchange. Within the modem, there is a

circuit that codes and decodes the MASC bina-ry data, adding error correction and error detec-tion codes and framing data in the process(Illustration below).

This digital signal is converted into theanalog baseband signal that will modulate thecarrier using a technique called Gaussian MeanShift Keying (GMSK). GMSK is one of severalmodulation techniques in which the amplitude,frequency or phase of an analog signal is variedto indicate a change in state between 0 and 1 in

a digital bit stream. When the baseband signalis modulated onto the radio frequency carrier,the result is ROSI, the RadiO SIgnaling layerthat defines the air interface for the Mobitexwireless data network.

GMSK and ROSI are thus the lowest twolevels of the Mobitex radio interface. On the ter-minal side, the corresponding interfaces areV.24/V.28 or a similar serial interface at thephysical layer and MASC at the link level.

T E C H N O L O G Y / S T R A T E G Y20

MOBITEX MODEMSERIAL I /0 PROTOCOL STACKS

MOBITEX MODEMRADIO PROTOCOL STACKS

RADIO MODEMAPPLICATIONTERMINAL

BASE STATIONRADIO MODEM

RS-232 LINK

RADIO LINK

APPLICATIONPROTOCOLS

MPAK

MASC

V.24

INTERNALMODEM

PROTOCOLS

MPAK

MASC

V.24

INTERNALMODEM

PROTOCOLS

MPAK

ROSI

INTERNALNETWORK

PROTOCOLS

MPAK

ROSI

TO

NE

TW

OR

K

MPAKs (Mobitex PAcKets) are the basic unitused for communication between the terminaland the network and for data exchange betweenusers. As the diagram shows, MPAKs corre-spond to the network layer in the data commu-nications model and are formed using MASC,the Mobitex asynchronous protocol, which is afull-duplex serial data protocol.

The data on the serial port can thus beinterpreted as characters or bytes and adheresto the MASC protocol. Certain byte sequencesare directly interpreted as link-layer com-mands for controlling the modem or the con-nection. Data being exchanged between theterminal and the network, however, is format-ted as MPAKs, which employ a frame structu-re with a number of pre-defined fields depen-ding on the packet type.

MPAKs provide the functionality requiredat the network layer. Each MPAK contains theMAN numbers of the sender and receiver, anoptional address list and one or more type-dependent components. MPAKs are normallydivided into two types called DTESERV (dataterminal service communication) packets,which update the data used for traffic switchingin the network or data terminal, and PSUB-COM (packet subscriber communications)packets, which are exchanged between subscri-bers. The HPDATA (higher protocol data)MPAK, for example, belongs to this latter classand can be used to embed higher level IP pack-ets in a mobile Internet application.

HARDWIRED OR HAND-CODED?

The signal processing functions required for a Mobitex radio modem may be implemented inhardware and/or software. Devices used for sig-nal processing range from a chip specially desig-ned for Mobitex or GSMK radio modems to adigital signal processor (DSP) or a general pur-pose CPU chip. Conceptually, the modem chipis an ASIC (Application Specific IntegratedCircuit) that performs a single signal processingfunction that is hardwired in the chip, while theCPU chip, which could be the same as the processor used in a conventional handheld ordesktop PC, implements the signal processingfunction entirely in software, often as a highly

optimized and hand-coded algorithm includedas firmware in a ROM chip in the modem.

Between these two extremes are DSPchips, which can be programmed with softwa-re to perform a variety of signal processingfunctions. The chip itself implements a num-ber of general purpose signal processing func-tions, such as matrix multiplication, which isrequired for many types of spectral analysis.These powerful functions make it much easierto write software that performs sophisticatedsignal processing tasks like noise reductionalgorithms for improved RF sensitivity.Because the DSP chip itself is relativelyexpensive and a general purpose CPU chip isoften also needed, a DSP-based design is typi-cally employed only when other types of signalprocessing are needed than that required forthe Mobitex modems.

A basic radio modem that will be connectedto a data terminal via the serial port can employan ASIC-based design that does not include aCPU chip. A design that includes an onboardCPU, on the other hand, is typically employedfor self-contained devices, such as a wirelessPDA or POS terminal. In this case, the displayand keypad are integrated in the device, andthe functions required for a PDA or POS ter-minal are implemented in the firmware.

Some OEM radio modems for Mobitex, such asthe Ericsson M3000 series, are a special case,because they are more than a modem, yet notdesigned as stand-alone units, but rather forintegration in another manufacturer’s device.The M3000, for example, not only includes ageneral purpose CPU and firmware stored inROM. It also offers RAM memory and a JavaVirtual Machine (JVM) for hosting onboardapplications. For the designer of a vendingmachine or an electricity meter, for example,such a device makes it very easy to add wirelesstelemetry capability.

T E C H N O L O G Y / S T R A T E G Y 21

“Mobi tex OEM modems are manufac tured by CNI , Er icsson , Maxon and RIM.Severa l new products are current lybe ing deve loped .”

MPAKS STRUCTURE

MPAK WITHOUTADDRESS LIST

COMMON COMPONENTS

MPAK WITHADDRESS LIST

TYPE-DEPENDENT COMPONENTS

COMMON COMPONENTS TYPE-DEPENDENT COMPONENTSADRESSLIST

SENDER ADRESSEE

(Byte)

FLAG INFORMATION PACKET-TYPE INFORMATION

1 4 7 8

RAD FORMOBILE INTERNET

Rapid application development(RAD) for the mobile Inter-net is getting easier. As Cliff Haas, manager of the CingularWireless’ Development Program,reports, when the US Mobitexoperator needed a web-basedapplication to support its ownsales force, the company decidedto use a tool called Intava Gravitythat allowed the developers to get an application up and run-ning in just days.

DEVELOPERS HAD

THE SOLUTION

“Not long ago, simply makingdata available on the Internet wasenough to satisfy the user com-munity. In today’s mobile society,however, users want more.Cingular Interactive’s direct salesforce was no exception. Theywanted a way to wirelessly accesscritical sales information,” notesCliff Haas.

Cingular’s web developersquickly found the solution. Theystarted by adding few web pagesto the sales portal to allow salesrepresentatives to log in andexecute a database query to deter-mine the status of their order.Once the sales force was satisfiedwith this solution, the next stepwas to extend the functionality ofthe web portal to a micro browserrunning on a RIM handheld.

“This was not as daunting atask as might be thought,” saysCliff Haas. “Although fully deve-loped resources for integratingwireless technology into a wiredapplication were relatively scarceonly a short time ago, the spacehas rapidly been filled with avariety of easy to use tools andreferences. In this case, Cingular

used the Intava Gravity toolset tobuild the application for query-ing the sales database throughthe micro browser. Within theGravity toolset, there is not onlya WYSIWYG WML editor forthe static content, but also assis-tance in setting up the backendfunctionality.”

FOCUS ON REAL

BENEFITS

Intava Gravity is an open andextensible platform in whichusers can rapidly and profession-ally develop rich mobile appli-cations that are both easy to useand scalable. It provides a modu-lar environment where code canbe re-used and shared and allowsdevelopers to target multipledevice platforms with a sin-gle development effort. Initiallysupporting both WAP and the Palm operating system, Gravity will also provide support forMicrosoft’s Pocket PC platform.

“Intava Gravity reduces thecomplexity, time and cost ofmaking compelling Internet so-lutions available on a range ofmobile platforms. This is theindustry’s first multi-platformwireless Web development appli-cation,” notes Troy Kaser, vicepresident of product manage-ment at Intava.

“Using the Gravity toolset,the simple database query applica-tion was built in just a few days,”relates Cliff Haas. “The conveni-ence to the sales force is immeasur-able. The implementation wasboth expedient and low cost. Tothose working in the wirelessindustry, the most valuable rewardhere may be the fact that a usergroup has been introduced to the

convenience of wireless through a positive experience.”

Cliff Haas feels thatCingular’s experience in rapidlydeveloping and deploying thisapplication provides some valu-able lessons for people who arestill waiting for wireless multi-media and all of the other thingspromised by 3G. “Enthusiasm forwhat may come tomorrow shouldnot be allowed to distort the rea-lity of the present. It is importantthat this generation of wirelessdevelopers and users have theirexpectation set properly in orderto keep the focus on the realbenefits of today’s technology,”concludes Cliff Haas. ■

The Toughbook 01 is a new wireless handheld PC fromPanasonic, a company well knownfor its ruggedized computers. The new unit is designed to beextremely durable, with sealedport and connector covers and a moisture resistant casing.Powered by an 206 MHz IntelStrong ARM processor, theToughbook 01 features 32 MBRAM and 32 MB flash EPROMas standard, a 240 x 320 activematrix color LCD display and a36-key backlit keyboard.

Mobitex and several otherwireless communication optionsare available for the Toughbook01. The handheld device is pow-ered by a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery that provides 8 hoursof operation with the front lighton or 24 hours with the light off. A GPS compact flash card is

available as an integratedoption, as are numerous

accessories.

TOUGHBOOK 01CUSTOMIZABLEWIRELESSHANDHELD PC

MOBILEMARKET

NEWS

Duretech, a leading Korean communications supplier estab-lished in 1999 and with annualsales of USD one million, has an-nounced a wireless PDA and anOEM radio modem for Mobitex.The PDA, which has a clamshellform factor, will support wirelessmessaging, as well as calendar,memo and to-do list applications.Weighing only 32 grams, the ra-dio modem is extremely compact,measuring just 41 x 61 x 8.5 mm,yet delivers 2.0 watts of transmitpower with a receiver sensitivityof –115 dBm. Both products,which are designed for 900 MHzoperation, will be available earlynext year.

NEW MOBITEX BROCHURES

RAM AND PARTNERSAT

MOBILE & WIRELESS

New Mobitex brochures and pro-duct sheets are now available.The Mobitex Systems Guide(What is Mobitex technology),Mobitex Solutions Guide (Whois using Mobitex) and MobitexBusiness Guide (Why use Mobitexas a carrier) are three completelyre-designed brochures that pre-

sent Mobitex technology fromthree different perspectives in aninformative yet informal manner.New product sheets include apresentation of the NetworkControl Center (NCC) that de-scribes all the latest productenhancements, as well as thebusiness benefits for operators.

These new brochures will becomeessential marketing tools forMobitex. All brochures and pro-duct sheets can be downloadedfrom the Mobitex website orordered directly from Ericsson.

RAM Mobile Data Netherlandsmade an impressive showing re-cently at a Mobile and Wirelessexhibition in Amsterdam onNovember 28 to 30 that provesthat partners hold the key tocustomers. Exhibiting togetherwith no less than 18 partners in astand totaling some 3,000 squaremeters and in which the focus wason field service, RAM MobileData was perceived by visitors asthe largest exhibitor and the sup-plier capable of delivering mobilesolutions for every business.

As part of the exhibit, RAMsponsored a three-hour semi-nar at which the most popularand interesting presentation was

about Essent,which is theNetherland'slargest gasand electri-city supplierand a satisfiedRAM custo-mer since

1997. Today, they have 280 activeusers but are planning for an in-crease to 1000 users.

“When introducing wirelessdata, it is absolutely essential tohave a clear business process andnot to mix different processes,”says Keimpe Bleekert, consultantat Essent. “Transaction times alsoneed to be related to the durationof the process. If an order hand-ling process takes several days,then it makes little difference ifentering the order wirelesslytakes three or ten seconds.

Our experience indicatesthat choosing the hardware is thelast thing you should do in amobile data project,” continues

Keimpe Bleekert. “Network avai-lability, on the other hand, is ex-tremely critical. We chose RAMMobile Data because the networkis extremely reliable and willcontinue to function even duringpower failures.”

Web addresses to exhibitingRAM partners:www.groenevold-group.com www.citygis.nlwww.transics.comwww.dataction.nlwww.idesta.comwww.zetes.comwww.crmvision.comwww.axias.comwww.ctrack.nlwww.ferranti.bewww.park-line.com

NEWKOREANMODEMSUPPLIER

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Mobitex Systems Guide Mobitex Solutions Guide Mobitex Business Guide Product sheetNetwork Control center

PALM i705

NEW

Palm announced the i705 hand-held, a new Mobitex-based de-vice which features an always-onwireless architecture, recharg-able battery, and a number ofnew and upgraded features.Read more in our next issue. ■

M A R K E T N E W S 23

M A R K E T N E W S24

Korean manufacturer CNI (Com-munication Network Interface)has become the first supplier tooffer devices for all Mobitex fre-quencies. Both the company’sOEM radio modem and highlysuccessful wireless PDA forMobitex are now available in400, 800 and 900 MHz versions.

Last year, CNI's 400 MHzproducts for the UK receivedETSI certification. In january ofthis year, the CNI-430 ME devi-ce for use in continental Europewas also certified. The correspon-ding products for 900 MHz werecertified by the FCC last year foruse in North America, and typeapproval for the 800 MHz pro-ducts was recently granted in

China. Type approval is in theprocess in Hong-Kong.

The CNI-430MU wirelesshandheld for the UK was develo-ped in record time. Work com-menced in March of 2001, whenUK Mobitex operator Transcommsigned a contract with CNI fordevelopment of the device. Justfour months later, the device wasready and ETSI certification wasreceived on the first try. Wirelessmodems and handhelds are nowshipping to different countries. ■

INTELLECTSAPPHIRE FOR WIRELESS POS

CNICOVERS ALL BANDS

The Intellect Sapphire is a wire-less POS (point-of-sale) terminaldeveloped by the Belgian com-pany Intellect International. The company, which also hasoffices in the UK, Australia andHongKong, has been active inthe global market for electronic

payment solutionsfor more than 15years. IntellectInternationalis representedactively in30 countriesby qualifi-ed partnerchannels.

Sapphire wireless POS terminalwill soon be available in a ver-sion for Mobitex 400 MHz.Designed to be fully portable,the Intellect Sapphire can beoperated on rechargeable batte-ries, AC power or DC powerprovided by a vehicle. Otherdevice features include a hybridmagnetic card reader supportingany combination of tracks 1, 2and 3, support for up to fourSAM chip card modules andstandard or high performancesecurity modules. A carryingcase, a docking station, an extrabattery and a vehicle charger areavailable as accessories. ■

Adding to its already impressiveline-up of Mobitex devices,Korean manufacturer CNI hasreleased a new wireless POS(point-of-sale) terminal called theePOS and an add-on device for itspopular wireless handheld. TheePOS wireless payment terminalis unusual in that it supportsboth wireless (Mobitex) and fixed(PSTN) connections in a singledevice. The CNI ePOS terminalis now being deployed in Korea,but because it is based on CNI’sOEM radio modem for Mobitex,it will be available in all markets.

The CNI ePOS accepts bothmagnetic cards and smart cardsand can support up to three SAMcards. Multiple card operatingsystems are supported, including

systems from Gemplus while Bulland Samsung will be supported in the near future. An SDK (soft-ware development kit) is availablefor third party developers.

The ePOS mobile add-ondevice for CNI’s wireless hand-held has the same basic functio-nality as the ePOS device, alt-hough it lacks support for aPSTN connection. The deviceplugs into the base of the hand-held, which is then used as thePOS terminal. ■

VERSATILEPOSTERMINALS

M A R K E T N E W S 25

Psion Teklogix’s new netpad is ahandheld tablet computer basedon the Symbian operating sys-tem that is specially designed fordemanding mobile applications.Combining power and flexibilityin an innovative design, netpadis a cost-effective solution thatdelivers data capture and proces-sing capabilities to workers onthe move. Lightweight and ergo-nomic, the netpad’s rugged de-sign and tablet form factor makeit an ideal choice for all field ser-vice, field data collection, mobilesales and track, trace and deliveryapplications, including installa-tion and repair, meter reading,route sales and asset tracking.

Based on a 206 MHz IntelStrong ARM processor, the net-pad features a half-VGA size(640 x 240 pixel) color displaythat can be switched dynamicallybetween landscape and portraitoperation, a pen and touch-sensi-tive screen, and an on-screen key-board. Power performance is out-

standing, with a single chargeproviding more than 8 hours ofbattery life plus instant-on capa-bility. A wide range of charging,docking and wireless connectivityoptions will be available, inclu-ding Mobitex.

Designed as a rugged andergonomic tablet that can be used

in the most demanding environ-ments yet fits comfortably in thehand, the netpad is destined toplay a central role in PsionTeklogix’ mobile computing stra-tegy. The multi-tasking Symbianoperating system and built-inJava support also provide an idealplatform for rapid development

of applications for the task-spe-cific industrial mobile compu-ting solutions in which PsionTeklogix is a world leader. ■

NETPAD MADE FOR HANDSBUSY

Stryder is a new handheld PCfrom Mentor Engineering, a Ca-nadian company that is a leader in mobile data and AVL/GPSsolutions with more than 140 in-stallations worldwide. The Win-dows CE-based Stryder features a 206 MHz Intel Strong ARMprocessor, a 6.4 inch VGA TFT

display, a touch screen, numberpad and navigation control keys.In addition to an infrared (IrDA)port, the Stryder handheld PCoffers Bluetooth as an option.

Options available for Stryderinclude a DVD/CD-ROM drive,an internal GPS module and aninternal Mobitex modem, bothwith built-in antennas. The unitalso includes a type II CompactFlash socket, USB, RS-232 portsand a magnetic or smart card rea-der. Based in Calgary, Alberta,Mentor Engineering has recentlyopened a European sales office inthe UK. ■

MENTORINTR0DUCESSTRYDER

CML (Consumer MicrocircuitsLimited) has introduced theCMX 909B, the latest versionof its highly successful GMSKpacket data modem chip forMobitex. The new product con-tains several enhancements forimproving battery life, inclu-ding support for the ShortBlock acknowledgement frameas specified in the R14NMobitex system release andmultiple power save modes thatallow implementation of moreintelligent power managementfunctions. Envelope detectionalgorithms and other signalprocessing functions have alsobeen enhanced to further im-prove modem performance. TheCMX 909B is being used in

several next-generation devices,including products from CNIand Duretech. ■

CML INTRODUCESNEXT-GENERATIONMODEM CHIP

When did Uppsala begin using MobiMed?

We first began using MobiMed in 1989. Atthat time, we wanted to see if we could sendelectrocardiogram (ECG) data from the ambu-lance to the receiving doctor at the hospital.We showed that it was possible to do it, but atthat time, no one knew what to do with thedata. Since then, MobiMed has become acentral application in an integrated informa-tion system for patient data.

What information is sent from ambulanceson the way to the hospital?

The information sent from the ambulancenaturally depends on the diagnosis. Two priori-tized patient groups are heart and stroke pati-ents. For heart patients, for example, we sendECG data, as well as other vital signs. Thehandheld computers also contain variouselectronic forms for specific conditions, such asbreathing difficulties, that prompt the person

administering treatment in the ambulance fordifferent types of data and provide instructionsfor the procedures to be used.

Who receives this information at the hospital and how is it used?

The information goes directly into the hospi-tal’s information system and becomes part ofthe patient’s medical record. It is importantthat data should only be entered once and that

WIRELESS DATAEXTENDS CARE

Dr. Rolf Karlsten is thehead doctor for theambulance services ofUppsala County Councilcomprising an area of6,846 square kilometersin central Sweden justnorth of Stockholm. Thecounty’s central hospitalis Uppsala UniversityHospital. Today all ambu-lances are equipped withMobitex and dispatchedcentrally by the SOSAlarm Center, whichhandles all calls to the112 emergency number.

The Mobitex applicationused in the ambulances is MobiMed, a system fortelemedicine, IT supportand data communication(patient informatics) forpre-hospital and ambu-lance care supplied byOrtivus.

O U T L O O K 27

it should be easy to generate medical recordsthat document treatment as it is being provi-ded. We have also devoted considerable effortto developing decision support systems thatnot only automatically collect certain types ofdata, but also provide guidance for medical per-sonnel administering the treatment.

What are the benefits for the patient?

Treatment can be provided more quickly and atan earlier stage. With heart patients, for ex-ample, we can begin anticoagulant treatment inthe ambulance on the way to the hospital. Heartpatients are taken directly to the cardiovascularintensive care unit. Stroke patients are takendirectly to radiology or neurology. At the hospi-tal, specialists are standing by, ready to take careof the patient when the ambulance arrives.

Are there cases where MobiMed has saved lives?

There are many scientific studies showing thatreducing the time until treatment begins sig-nificantly reduces the number of deaths. Forheart patients, for example, beginning treat-ment one and a half to two hours earlier canreduce one-year mortality by 50 percent. In acounty where an ambulance transport fromsome outlying towns into the central hospitalcan take one to one and a half hours, we knowthat MobiMed saves lives.

What other forms of wireless communica-tions are used in your organization?

Mobitex is the communications channel thatwe depend on. The ambulances are also allequipped with GPS positioning equipment.Naturally most personnel have mobile phones,but they are only used as a supplement toMobitex. Unfortunately, when mobile phonesare needed most in conjunction with majoraccidents, they are not reliable, because thenetwork quickly becomes overloaded.

Do medical applications make specialdemands on communications and computing devices?

For data communications coverage, reliabilityand security are the key concerns. It took sometime to get from what the engineers considered99-percent coverage to the coverage we need,but we now have complete coverage so thatwhen a serious bus accident occurred a fewyears ago in a very isolated area, we coulddepend on Mobitex. The network does notbecome overloaded, even when dozens of emer-gency workers need to use it in a single loca-tion. Data communications are reliable andsecure, meaning that we can send critical medi-cal data wirelessly with complete confidencethat the patient’s integrity is protected.

With respect to computing devices,ambulance personnel need extremely ruggeddevices that are compact and easy to use.Accidents often happen under the worst possib-le weather conditions, and accident scenes placefar greater demands on equipment than themost demanding industrial environments. Theambulance personnel’s first priority is naturallybringing medical equipment, not computers,to accident victims, so any computing devicethey may carry really has to be as compact andlightweight as possible and provide functiona-lity that motivates its use at an accident scene.

What kinds of wireless communicationsand computing devices would you like to see in the future?

Handheld computing devices are becomingincreasingly powerful and can now supportsome very sophisticated decision support soft-ware, in addition to the basic telemedicine, ITsupport and data communication functionsthat are needed for our system. Computingdevices still need to become easier to use, and a rugged and ergonomic design is naturallyparticularly important for us. Touch screensand a simpler user interface are also desirable.

What are the most promising develop-ments for the future?

One area where I am particularly hopeful con-cerns local communications at the scene. Whenour personnel leave the ambulance to enter

a patient’s home, for example, there is a need to exchange data between the equipment thatthey carry and the equipment in the ambulan-ce, as well as to maintain wireless wide areacommunications. Particularly at major accidentscenes, there is also a need to share informa-tion among emergency workers. New, moreportable wireless devices, docking stations andnew technologies such as Bluetooth could re-volutionize rescue work. The potential exists toshare data and coordinate everyone’s actions,thus significantly improving emergency me-dical care.

Is Sweden a leading country in this area?

I’m not sure that Sweden is the leader in thisfield, but we are certainly very advanced. Per-haps what distinguishes us the most is thatboundaries between different parts of the medi-cal care system are disappearing. We obviouslywork very closely with intensive care units andmedical specialties, such as neurology and radi-ology. On the other hand, we also work veryclosely with the primary care organization andhave an important role to play there.

Today, the ambulance service is not solelya question of emergency transport. We are anintegral part of the medical care organization,and an ambulance is really a mobile medicalcare unit. Sometimes when we are dispatchedto the home of a person experiencing a medicalemergency, we can provide the necessary treat-ment in the home and ensure that a primarycare physician follows up the treatment. Withthe resources that we have, we do not alwayshave to bring the patient to a hospital. That notonly saves money for society. It increases thequality of care for the patient. ■

“New, more por t -ab l e dev i ces and new techno log i essuch as B lue too th

cou ld revo lu t i on i zerescue work .”

Internet, now on your dashboard.

Portable PS-based Mobimed ambulance unit.

Leaving the digerati in the dust

W A N D A W A V E

“What kind of work do you do?” asked my seatmate. Mysigh of exasperation must have been a little too loud becauseI could see that his face immediately assumed an apologeticexpression.

“I’m a telecom consultant. I mostly work with mobileInternet,” I replied, trying to assume a friendly tone. Ex-plaining my work to an outsider was never an easy task, butit was a long flight and there would be plenty of time. I putdown the handheld that I had been using to enter my latestexpenses and prepared myself for a long conversation. It wasa wireless device, but naturally the radio had been turned offto comply with aviation regulations.

“That’s really interesting! But tell me. Just what is themobile Internet? I mean, if I understand things correctly, theInternet doesn’t exactly move around, does it?” replied theman, who had introduced himself as Jerry.

“No, it doesn’t!” I laughed, grateful that Jerry was atleast taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to a subject that heprobably knew little about. “The Internet is a fixed networkwith a high capacity IP backbone that interconnects a bunchof other networks and lots of servers. So in that sense, themobile Internet really is a misnomer. It actually refers to themeans of access, which is wireless.”

“I see. Well, if it’s wireless, it’s got to be hot, but I sup-pose calling it the wireless Internet would sound like a con-tradiction in terms,” said Jerry with a mischievous glint inhis eye.

“Yes, wireless is the rage, all right, and it certainly helpsme to pay the bills,” I countered, feeling myself relax. “Moreto the point, wireless Internet access lets people on the moveget information when and where they need it.”

“So the technology is wireless, but from the user’s per-spective, it’s all about mobility,” said Jerry, striking a sud-denly serious tone. I was momentarily taken aback. My firstimpression of a clueless individual was obviously wrong.Jerry’s comment showed genuine insight.

“That’s right. But more than that, it’s about interactiv-ity. With the Mobitex technology that I work with, a usercan schedule meetings on the fly and interact with colleaguesall over the world via Internet e-mail,” I said, hoping that myexcitement would not dampen Jerry’s interest.

“That must really be great,” said Jerry, pausing to think fora moment and looking at the laptop on the tray table in frontof him. “I wonder, though. I mean, I’ve never had much usefor those tiny personal organizers, even though I’ve heard youcan do great things with them these days. To me, they justseem like toys that can’t perform the kind of work that I needa real computer for. As for surfing the Internet using one ofthose handhelds, well, I just don’t see how it could work.”

“Well, that’s the other part of what the mobile Internetis all about,” I said, wondering how much I needed to ex-plain to Jerry. “You’re right about small devices not beingmuch good for accessing conventional sites, but things arechanging. Today there are lots of websites and portals thatare specially designed for mobile users. Many handhelds arenow also WAP- or Java-enabled so that they are truly usefulfor accessing the Internet.”

“So the mobile Internet really is something different,”said Jerry, pausing to reflect on this insight. “But tell mesomething. If not all websites are designed for mobile users,then the mobile Internet must only be a small subset of thewhole Internet, meaning that the fixed Internet that PCusers see and the mobile Internet that you see are two differ-ent beasts.”

“It’s no small subset any more, and it’s growing all thetime. Tomorrow’s Internet will support access from a widevariety of devices, not just multimedia PCs with a broadbandconnection,” I replied gesturing toward the laptop on whichJerry had been watching a DVD film.

“So those wired guys who design all those cool websitesreally just don’t get it, do they?” replied Jerry, clearly amusedby this thought.

“No, they don’t. I’m afraid the mobile Internet revolu-tion is going to leave the digerati in the dust,” I chuckled.