Wireless Session Protocol

Wireless Session Protocol (WSP) is an open standard[1] for maintaining high level session. Wireless session is nothing but a normal Web browsing session that starts when the user connects to one URL and ends when the user leaves that URL. The session wide properties are defined once at the beginning of the session, which has the benefit of saving bandwidth due to the nature of wireless communication. The session establishing process does not have lengthy hand shaking mechanisms.

WSP is based on HTTP 1.1 with few enhancements. WSP provides the upper-level application layer of WAP with a consistent interface for two session services. The first is a connection-oriented service that operates above a transaction layer protocol WTP and the second is a connection less service that operates above a secure or non-secure datagram transport service. Therefore, WSP exists for two reasons. First, in the connection-mode it enhances the HTTP 1.1's performance over wireless environment. Second, it provides a session layer so the whole WAP environment resembles ISO OSI Reference Model.