WAP Channel

The WAP channel offers many of the benefits provided by the mobile application channel but with the additional advantage that no download or installation is necessary. As Java is not required, there are also more handsets which are supported.

Field workers may access surveys via a bookmark on their phone or you can invite end users to participate directly in a survey by sending a "WAP push" which is a link to the survey. The interface provides for a multitude of question types and supports validation and custom logic.

Key Features

  • No application download is required. Field workers login via their built-in phone browser and respondents may be sent links to participate directly.
  • Enhanced and intuitive user interface when compared with SMS, USSD and other text-based data capture mechanisms.
  • Multitude of question types not practically supported by other mobile channels are feasible such as multiple response and date questions.
  • Real-time validation allows responses to be validated whilst the survey is in progress improving data integrity and reducing "spoilt data".
  • Branching and custom logic enable more comprehensive and valuable surveys may be designed which ask questions based on previous responses given by the respondent.
  • Very low airtime cost to the field worker (usually in the order of cents per survey completed). The channel does not use SMS or voice to transmit data - GPRS, EDGE or 3G (where available) is used.

Device Support

Any device which supports WAP2.0 is supported.
Read more about supported devices.

Other channel alternatives

The WAP channel can work in conjunction with other channels:

The technology

WAP: WAP stands for Wireless Application Protocol. As the definition states, WAP is in fact a protocol or standard which has many different facets to it. The most common use of the protocol is in the production of "WAP sites" or mobile websites.

GPRS: a mobile network technology which allows data to be transferred (as opposed to voice for example). Essentially, it is how a phone connects to the internet. It is a very low cost alternative as the field worker is only billed for the data transferred (which is minimal for a survey). Newer technologies which provide faster transfer rates are becoming more common such as EDGE and 3G (used if available).


Featured case study

The Medical Research Council of South Africa is mandated by legislation to promote and conduct research for the improvement of health and quality of life of the public.

Mobile Researcher was selected by the MRC to fulfill its data collection needs for a large-scale baseline study conducted in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Read the full case study.