Abstract:
There is an enormous potential for growth in mobile Web access in Europe: 1.7 billion mobile phone subscribers in the world own a phone capable of browsing the Web. However, only 200 million of those subscribers actually use their browser, and mobile Web access in Europe is lagging use in other world regions.
If the potential for increasing use of mobile Web access can be realized, it will have a significant impact on the success of European research on the Network of the Future by growing demand for high-speed mobile data traffic. Wired Web access was the key driver in widespread uptake of new network technologies (ISDN, ADSL). Mobile Web access can play the same role for new research results in wireless data networks.
MobiWeb2.0 addresses the usability and interoperability issues that are holding back mobile Web access today. It will focus on mobile Web 2.0 applications based on technologies such as Ajax that can significantly increase the usability of mobile Web applications. MobiWeb2.0 builds on 3GWeb, an FP6 project which focused on improving traditional browsing on mobile devices (funded under the "Mobile and wireless systems beyond 3G" Strategic Objective).
The project is led by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an organization of currently more than 440 members from research and industry headed by the Web's inventor, Tim Berners-Lee.
MobiWeb2.0 is integrated with W3C's Mobile Web Initiative (MWI) which has many European supporters, including Ericsson, France Telecom, Nokia, TIM Italia, Vodafone and Opera. With its center of gravity in Europe, MWI is unique within W3C. MobiWeb2.0 serves to further increase European participation in MWI.
MobiWeb2.0 supports European dissemination activities on W3C's Mobile Web Initiative. Activities include communication activities, training of content providers on "Mobile Web Best Practices" and the development of test suites and mobile-friendly content-production tools for user-generated content.
Partners:
ERCIM/W3C
Duration:
2 years from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2009
ERCIM's role:
Project co-ordinator
Total budget:
€818,636
Funding Agencies:
European Commission FP7 (Coordination and Support Action)
EC funding: €543.928