CONVERGENCE: Internet on GSM Handsets

With the Internet infrastructure in place and an ever-growing cellular base,

there has been talk of convergence through WAP. However, there have been

concerns regarding the future of WAP in its present form. Many feel that WAP has

been great as a buzz, but as far as the revenue generation is concerned there

has been a question mark. "Fundamentally, I believe that WAP in its current

paradigm wouldn’t be sustainable, simply because no one really would want to

access Web sites on a screen so small in size. The user is not going to buy

phones just for the sake of WAP and GPRS," says Amol Patel, founder, and

vice president, business development, ConvergeLabs. The impact of the Internet

browsing experience is significantly compromised if the user accesses the Net on

his handset, he argues.

The Chennai lab of ConvergeLabs, a US-based telecom network management and

operations company, is developing software to facilitate Internet access from an

ordinary GSM handset. Called MaxG2500 (MaxG), this technology is being developed

at an approximate cost of $15 million, and is likely to be launched by mid 2001.

Using this software, users will be required to simply enter the site’s name in

an URL-like format and the software will convert the site to a layout

downloadable on a GSM handset. Sites can be accessed on the handset irrespective

of whether they are WAP- or GPRS-enabled or not.

ConvergeLabs will be concentrating on information related to stock trading or

flight schedules over the handset, since they are more text-based but still

extremely useful information. Patel clarifies, "Through MaxG, we would

enable the content from the Rediffs and the Yahoos of the world to be accessible

on GSM handsets."

Upgrades not a must

"Unlike other technologies which enable you to access the Internet, the

MaxG can provide data-oriented capability on an existing GSM handset," says

Amol Patel, founder and vice president, business development, ConvergeLabs.

According to Patel, this technology will even enable the user to download

graphics and video, provided the handset is capable of handling such data.

Currently, GSM handsets do not support graphics unless upgraded. However, if the

user does not want to upgrade or change an existing mobile phone, MaxG will be

delivering the information in a textual format, he says.

Markets: Europe and Asia

ConvergeLabs intends to showcase the MaxG technology in France in Q1 2001.

The commercial deployment of MaxG is scheduled for Q2 2001, with an initial

focus on Europe and Asia. According to Patel, the MaxG customers will primarily

be the wireless operators who deploy the solution. End-users will also be able

to make use of the technology, depending upon the kind of value-added services

they want.

India is definitely a strong and relevant market for such a technology

because a large number of people are buying or have already brought handsets.

Sunil Jalihal, GM, telecom business, Trigyn Technologies agrees, "As the

mobile phone penetration picks up and more people become Net users, access of

the Internet through mobile phones will also take off in India, initially as a

fad and then as a necessity to get access to time-critical information."

"With our comfort levels of operating in this region and contacts with

many of the operators here, we certainly see a potential," points out

Patel.

ConvergeLabs expects MaxG to take off "incredibly fast on an exponential

curve", on the assumption that MaxG would prove to be a

productivity-enhancing value-added service. But its success would depend on how

soundly the technology is implemented and if the user does experience a better

Internet access. DQ