apion  is FIRST-TO-MARKET with wap infrastructure product

APiON Ltd. (Cannes, France. Feb. 23, 1999) - APiON Ltd., a leading-edge network software provider today launched the first Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) infrastructure product.

APiON�s WAP Gateway system, which bridges the gap between the mobile world and the internet, was demonstrated live at a press conference at the GSM World Congress which opened in Cannes today.

This first commercially available product  ensures WAP interoperability between the Internet and the mobile world, whereby content and services are sent and received over any network using protocols and formats defined by the WAP Forum.

The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is an open, global standard that empowers mobile users with wireless devices to easily access and interact with information and services instantly. 

Speaking at the launch today, Denis Murphy, Managing Director APiON Ltd. said:

"WAP will revolutionize the mobile value-added services industry, by creating an infrastructure through which Internet and Intranet content and applications can be delivered to the mobile terminal and displayed using sophisticated browser technology

"The acceptance of WAP by wireless service providers depends on the success of the WAP standard. As an active member of the WAP Forum, I am delighted with progress in this area. The Forum is now comprised of over 90 members including manufacturers representing over 90% of the worldwide handset market, carriers with over 100 million subscribers, leading infrastructure providers, PC software companies and other companies delivering solutions to the wireless industry "

Commenting on APiON's product launch, Richard Midgett, Chairman of the GSM Association said:

" APiON's is to be congratulated on this first-to-market product, which will further speed WAP�s acceptance and deployment. The impact of new technologies from companies like APiON cannot be underestimated in the mobile data marketplace. Today APiON marks a significant step forward in developments in this exciting market. APiON has taken the lead with this new, highly researched and developed product and made its presence felt in the telecoms arena."  

The APiON WAP Gateway, has been designed for scalability and to allow easy integration with existing network infrastructure, such as billing and network management systems. To date APiON has carried out extensive interoperability testing with other members of the WAP Forum.

Notes to editors:

APiON Gateway Functionality:

A mobile terminal can make a request to an Internet server. The request is sent as a URL through the operator's network and enters the APiON WAP Gateway, which serves as the interface between the mobile network and the Internet. The APiON WAP Gateway requests the Wireless Markup Language (WML) content hosted on the web server, which is then converted into compact binary form by the Gateway's encoder. APiON's Wireless Datagram Protocol layer serves to transmit this encoded WML over the selected bearer service, and into the operator's network for transmission to the mobile terminal. When the byte code reaches the mobile terminal, the client micro-browser interprets the encoded WML, and displays interactive WAP content to the mobile subscriber.

Security issues for applications such as e-commerce, will be a key area for the ongoing success of WAP, and APiON's optional Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS) with encryption facilities will competently meet these needs.

APiON's Wireless Telephony Application (WTA) server (due for release 4th quarter 1999) will enable users to interact with services via both telephony and data interfaces.

About APiON

APiON is well established as a world-leading Telecommunications Software Company with significant expertise and competence in a range of network infrastructure technologies including Switching, Signaling, Wireless Data, Internet Integration, and Intelligent Networks.  APiON is actively involved in WAP Forum activities, and is committed to being 'first-to-market' with new and innovative functionality as the WAP standards develop.  For additional information on APiON, contact the Company at http://www.apion-tss.com

CONTACT

 Paul Francis, APiON 

+ 44 (0) 1232-269-100

[email protected]