If it was not already obvious that the next big step in mobile telephony would be mobile Internet access, this week's GSM World Congress in Cannes confirmed it. The annual feast of mobile phones features many firsts: new Internet phones, new Internet services specifically for mobile phones, smaller phones, and even the next generation of mobile phones.
The central theme among conference speakers and company announcements was data, and the message was clear: the world's wireless networks are following their wireline counterparts where the volume of data traffic is already overtaking that of voice traffic. Whereas GSM World Congresses have previously concentrated on telling the world how quickly mobile telephony was growing, this year's conference and exhibition, featuring 9,000 participants, was refreshingly different in that it concentrated on new services.
The latest generation of mobile phones themselves confirmed the data trend, with leading manufacturers all developing phones with mini Internet browsers. First with service was French operator SFR. Together with fellow French supplier Alcatel and Californian software developer Unwired Planet, SFR yesterday launched an Internet service for its customers. The new service, called e.media, will give mobile users a range of scaled-down Internet services, including e-mail and Web access.
Nokia, now the world's largest supplier of mobile networks and handsets, on Tuesday launched its newest phone, the 7110, which the company is calling a media phone. Though the Finnish manufacturer had plenty of demonstration models, the 7110 will not become widely until mid-year.
The newest Nokia phone is an example of a WAP phone, named after the wireless application protocol. It was widely predicted at the congress that over the coming years WAP phones, featuring larger graphical displays and scrolling devices for navigating menus, will become much more widespread in the coming year.
Nokia also announced a joint service with the online branch of CNN, to provide news services on the new phones.
Other leading phone manufacturers are expected to release GSM WAP phones later this year. In the meantime, Swedish firm Ericsson was showing off its newest, smallest phone to date, the T28. Weighing 90 grams, it is due to go on sale in July. For its part, Motorola showed off the smallest GSM phone in the world, called the V series, which began shipping in the last few weeks.
At the other end of the scale, satellite phone operator Iridium was showing off its new network by offering free satellite calls to pedestrians strolling along the windy Cannes waterfront. The company is hoping that the attraction of being able to call from anywhere in the world will encourage customers to overlook the bulky handsets and costly service.
While most of the new phones are aimed at the business audience, the GSM industry is also targeting home users. Many manufacturers are currently planning mini base stations, whereby homes and offices can each have their own GSM cell. These are intended to ultimately make GSM phones a cost-effective alternative to wireline phones in homes and offices.
The coming together of geographic information systems and telephone billing systems will also allow GSM operators to offer customers cheaper calls from within their own homes. Already launched in Denmark, and being tested by several other operators, this is again intended to persuade users to replace home wireline phones with mobile phones.
Several Irish companies were at the show, including APiON and APiON Ti, Conduit, Euristix, AerSoft, Sigma Wireless and the Facility Management Workshop. Meanwhile, the Logica group, which last year bought Aldiscon, announced results for the six months ending last December.
Pre-tax profits and revenues were up 67 per cent and 35 per cent respectively, at £26 million sterling (€30 million) and £292 million. Significantly, the revenue growth in the telecommunications area grew by 59 per cent.
Eoin Licken may be reached at elicken@irish-times.ie.
