Abstract

This paper focuses on the implications of employing CORBA Middleware in today’s wireless telecommunications services and applications developments. It seeks to understand what current opportunities exist to support the use of this technology and assesses some of the performance implications that might be encountered. Discussion also revolves around the use of Component Oriented Development techniques in this same vertical and observations are made as to the benefits and practical problems associated with pursuit of this methodology in wireless telecommunications development programmes. Interest in this topic was aroused after observing the continued development of wireless telecommunications technology (Third Generation - 3G) that allows users to maintain permanent but connectionless contact with more traditional Wide Area Network (WAN) & Local Area Network (LAN) based services. As the boundaries between cellular, wireless LAN and traditional fixed network technologies become increasingly blurred, trends are emerging that seek to extend and migrate the technologies that are currently employed on cabled and wireless LAN networks over to the cellular networks and mass market user equipment.