No one would deny that e-commerce is revolutionising the way we work, shop and do business. But the transformation to a digital economy will not be complete until we can conduct truly mobile e-commerce.
Although still a relatively new capability, m-commerce has the potential to create a whole new service sector, new business models and avenues for customer service.
However, m-commerce is still embryonic and will not reach full viability for another three years. Before its potential can be unlocked there are some fundamental security issues that must be resolved. E-business security issues in the banking and utilities sectors have damaged consumers' confidence in making transactions over the Internet. If reputable companies aren't able to provide their customers with a secure infrastructure for e-business over a solid, wired infrastructure, how much more vulnerable must a radio-based service be?
If reputable companies aren't able to provide their customers with a secure infrastructure for e-business over a solid, wired infrastructure, how much more vulnerable must a radio-based service be? Industry must allay consumers' and businesses' fears so that trusted, mutual relationships can be forged.
In Europe and many parts of Asia, the WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) standard provides the basis for mobile information services.
WAP handsets communicate over a wireless network with WAP servers that act as points of entry to the wired Internet. The WAP server relays information between sites offering m-commerce services and the handset owners.
Using a WAP-enabled mobile phone, people can bank, shop and send emails, so clearly m-commerce can be viewed as the natural progression of e-commerce.
