News in View: IT directors reject WAP for ecommerce

Sixty per cent of UK IT directors have no plans to integrate WAP systems into their ecommerce policies because they are still struggling with more fundamental web integration projects - an issue which is discussed in this week's News in View programme.

According to a report by research house Vanson Bourne, many UK companies are experiencing problems integrating their websites with back-end technology systems, and view WAP as simply an additional headache.

But in spite of the findings, Graham Opie, director of Vanson Bourne, claims WAP technology will still become a significant issue for corporates in the future.

Speaking exclusively to silicon.com, he said: "If a company does not include mobile in its ebusiness strategy it does not have an ebusiness strategy."

Meanwhile, Paul Turton, director of advanced telecoms at IT services firm CSC, claimed the research figures are far from negative. He said: "Forty per cent of companies are actually planning on implementing WAP strategies this year. That is actually quite high."

Turton added: "WAP is aimed at small amounts of very important data delivered wherever you are. It's already delivering on a number of banking applications and on a number of internet applications."

Steve Bennett, CEO of Jungle.com, added that while WAP will never replace the PC, it will be significant in its own right. He said: "We don't believe at any stage it will surpass the PC as a main vehicle for placing orders over the web but we do believe it has a big marketplace and it is something to be considered."

You can see the full News in View on WAP technology in the mobile and wireless channel (http://www.silicon.com/38624 )