SEMA Group Position Paper for W3C Workshop on Mobile Access.

In order to extend the Internet and Web into the wireless domain, the Wireless Application Protocol 
(WAP) Forum was founded in June 1997.  WAP Forum aims to create a global wireless protocol 
specification that works across differing wireless network technology types, for adoption by 
appropriate industry standards bodies.  Applications using WAP will be scaleable across a variety of 
transport options and device types.  A common standard offers potential economies of scale, 
encouraging cellular phone and other device manufacturers to invest in developing compatible 
products. Cellular and other wireless network carriers and content providers will be able to develop 
new differentiated service offerings as a way to attract new subscribers. Consumers will benefit 
through more and varied choices in mobile communications applications, advanced services and 
Internet access.  

Sema Group Telecoms has over 10 years of expertise and experience working with mobile wireless 
operators . With over 1,800 staff world wide, Sema Group Telecoms provide their customers with 
services and consulting, system integration and network management. Sema Group Telecoms  IS-41 
and GSM market products includes software application like Customer Care and Billing and 
Intelligent Network systems product like Short Message Service (SMS), Over Air activation and 
Programming(OAA&P), Home location Register(HLR), Equipment Identity Register (EIR), 
Authentication Centre (AUC) , Value added Service(ACS) Manager (VASM, and EIR Administration 
Centre (EAC).

SMS is an essential component for the WAP platform in the IS-41, IS-136 , IS-95 and GSM networks. 
WAP is defined in a way to fit and work as well as possible with the exiting capabilities of the bearers 
services without requiring any changes to the established wireless standards and protocols.  However,  
how the SMSC can be optimised to fit better with WAP and support in an efficient way the emerging 
new applications in the wireless world.

Sema Group will contribute to the current specification work of WAP by reviewing the draft Specs, 
providing comment, inputs and defining common and standard Transport layer interface in WAP to 
Bearer Service in mobile network. This will make life much easier for Application and WAP gateways 
developers. Currently, we  are in the process of defining an interface to integrate our SMS with the 
Unwired Planet UP.Link server, the AWS PocketNet server and other third party products. 

Sema Group would like to share their expertise in Mobile Network with W3C to understand the 
unique characteristics.