Mobile device connections

Mobile device users have the following options for making mobile connections:

• Connecting to the mobile service provider network infrastructure - for example to make phone calls or browse the Internet.

• Connecting to WLAN hot spots.

• Connecting locally with other devices through Bluetooth or infrared.

The available communication services depend on the device and the nature of the network infrastructure or, in case of Bluetooth and infrared, on the proximity of the device to the connection points.

The following image illustrates the general principles of the communication infrastructure of a mobile device. The details of the mobile network infrastructure are not illustrated. Also note that the data transfer methods and standards illustrated are only examples.

Figure: Mobile communication infrastructure

Information required for initializing connections to network infrastructures and WLAN hotspots is typically contained in access points, which are stored on the device. The initialization of connections in the mobile environment introduces some design considerations that need to be taken into account.

The S60 platform provides a communication framework that contains a set of libraries and components to make different kinds of communication services available to applications. Applications typically access the functionalities provided by the framework through the standard S60 platform client-server session.

Examples of the available functionalities include:

• Making an IP connection

• Making telephone calls and retrieving device information

• Initializing a Bluetooth connection

• Transferring data over a Bluetooth connection

• Transferring data over an infrared connection

The Forum Nokia Knowledge Base provides device specific and other information on working with mobile connections.

For more information about security considerations, see Communications security