WAP Service Developer's Guide for Nokia Series 40
Version 1.0
Copyright © 2002. Nokia Corporation. All rights reserved.
27
A. WIRELESS APPLICATION PROTOCOL WAP
Introduction
The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is a set of protocols that allow the
development of applications and services for use with mobile phones and other
mobile devices. The WAP Forum maintains these protocols and their related
standards and specifications.
The WAP Forum consists of a number of high-tech companies from the information
technology, software, and telecommunication industries. The objectives of the WAP
Forum are to:
• Bring Internet content and advanced data applications to digital mobile phones
• Create a global wireless protocol specification that works across different
wireless network technologies
• Enable the creation of content and applications that scale across a wide range
of bearer networks and device types
• Embrace existing standards and technology wherever possible
WAP architecture
WAP and Internet architecture
In order to apply as much leverage on the existing Internet standard as possible, the
WAP stack closely follows the Internet model. This is illustrated in Figure 1.
Internet
HTML
JavaScript
TM
HTTP
TLS - SSL
TCP/IP
UDP/IP
SMS USSD CSD
IS-136
CDMA CDPD PDC-P Etc..
Bearers:
Wireless Application
Wireless Application
Environment (WAE)
Wireless Session Layer (WSP)
Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS)
Wireless Datagram Protocol (WDP)
Other Services
and
Applications
Wireless Transaction Protocol (WTP)
Figure 1 Comparison of Internet and WAP Architecture
This layered architecture allows applications to utilise the features of the WAP stack
through well-defined interfaces. This close link to the Internet architecture allows
developers to utilise their existing knowledge and expertise when developing
applications for mobile terminals.