Swisscom to launch mobile Internet services

Switzerland's largest telecommunications operator, Swisscom, is to launch a new era in technology next month. It is bringing the Internet to the mobile phone with the new worldwide standard called Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).

Switzerland’s largest telecommunications operator, Swisscom, has announced that it is to launch a new era in technology next month. It is bringing the Internet mobile phone service to Switzerland with the new worldwide standard called Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).

Swisscom says that after the explosion in use of the Internet and the mobile phone over the past few years, the future is a combination of the two technologies.

Forecasters say that there will be no fewer than 500 million people around the globe hooked up to the Internet and 700 million mobile phone users by the year 2002.

WAP technology will offer a complete package of new services. In Switzerland, this includes news (also from Swiss Radio International), the weather, flight and train timetables, electronic mail, shopping and electronic banking.

“The Internet is becoming mobile and the mobile phone interactive,” says George Schlegel, Business Development director at Swisscom Mobile. “Mobility, interactivity and ease of use are just some of the characteristics which will make this cable-less Internet a success because they take into consideration a basic trend in society, attracted as it is by a new form of nomadism,” he added.

Swisscom plans to increase the number of services available to more than 50 by the end of the year. “Everything you can do on a PC is also possible with a mobile phone. This technology has been developed so that above and beyond consulting data banks and information services, there are other applications,” says Schlegel.

On the technological level, it is even possible to make cashless payments by replacing the credit card.

“In a first phase, we’ll put the accent on information services and communication. But in a few months, it will be possible to settle bills, make travel reservations spontaneously, buy flowers and even check in before arrival at the airport,” he says.

Not surprisingly, the producers of mobile phones are rubbing their hands. To use WAP technology, a new generation of phones is being introduced which includes a WAP browser.

Software teething troubles have been reported in some models but the producers will not be releasing the WAP models in Switzerland for a month or two. And they know in advance that they will not be able to keep up with demand, although they say they would love to do just that.

Swisscom’s WAP platform, to be introduced on February 21, will also be available to other mobile phone operators in Switzerland. Swisscom customers will be able to surf on the Net for a charge of 20 or 40 centimes per minute, depending on the mobile phone subscription they have.

By Robert Brookes