2006 Special Report on China’s WAP Unofficial Portals

WAP is Wireless Application Protocol for short. It is the combination of a series of protocols of mobile network. WAP protocol is similar with popular Internet protocols, but it is used to optimize user devices (such as mobile and PDA) with small screen and narrowband. WAP protocol is an international open standard which is discussed, established and possessed by OMA (WAP Forum) members. It enables wireless devices conduct real-time communication and use various service easily.

WAP value added service is the wireless value added service that allow mobile users to browse operator’s WAP Portal on mobile WAP browser and use SP WAPservice by data transmission methods like GPRS and CDMA 1X.

In consideration of the difference of technology standard and operation mode, WAP service (such as “c-mode”) of domestic fixed phone operators on Personal Handphone System is not included in this report.

Definition of WAP official portal: Wireless site of WAP content service provided by mobile operators, such as Monternet and Interactive Video.

Definition of WAP unofficial portal : Wireless site with independent domain name and free WAP content service. This service does not charge and make profit through mobile operator’s channels, for example Wap.qq.com, and Wap.3g.net.cn.

User scale: Number of users registered before certain point of time or using the service or product within certain period of time. The former is number of registered users and the later number of active users.

Market size: Charge of the service, including message charge and communication charge.

Number of registered users: Number of registered users of the service.

Number of yearly active users: Number of users who use the service at least once in a year.

Number of monthly active users: Number of users who use the service at least once in a month.

ARPU (average revenue per user): It is mainly used in service areas and is equal to the market size divided by user scale of the same period. If there’s no special statement, ARPU value in this report is calculated by month. The formula is: ARPU value=Yearly market size/Number of yearly active users/12, or Quarterly market size/Number of quarterly active users/3.