News
Issue #2002 - 47 (December 2002)
(Updated Dec. 22, 2002)

TECHNOLOGY

Could Korea Show Us the Way to Standardize Mobile Services Platform

10 December 2002 -- Korea Times -- The Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) said yesterday it has decided to adopt a single wireless Internet access platform for the first time in the world. The MIC said it would revise a telecommunications law for the adoption of WIPI, or wireless Internet platform for interoperability, after gathering opinions from the World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries. 

"Since Korea is going to be the first country to adopt the common wireless internet access platform, consensus on a whole series of issues amongst the WTO member countries is necessary,'' the MIC pointed out. In addition, South Korean government officials and experts will meet with their American counterparts to discuss the matter. 

Among the various wireless technologies, the WIPI is known as a homegrown wireless access platform, developed by a group of Korean telecom professionals. The WIPI has been fighting a head-to-head battle with Qualcomm's BREW platform, backed by the U.S. government. 

``From a user standpoint, there are only a certain amount of technologies that people can concentrate upon at any one time, and the WIPI seems to be the most suitable for Korean users,'' the MIC statement said.

Source: Korean News service

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory: It appears to us that WIPI is an isolated home-grown solution out of Korea. Korea may not benefit internationally by pursuing indigenous country-specific interoperability solution. Neither BREW nor JAVA mobile standards by themselves address the mobile device interoperability problem completely. There is more to wireless data applications than just choosing a device application development platform. It would have helped Qualcomm if Korea adopted BREW. For the sake of competition and innovation, it is good to see both platforms grow.

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