Time-Line History

A time-line history of the significant events relating to LEAP is provided below. Note that the name LEAP is relatively new; this acronym was coined in early 2000. Prior to 1997, the research and development work which would eventually lead to the creation of LEAP was referred to by the general name of Limited Size Messaging (LSM).

Much of the LSM work was sponsored in various ways by McCaw Cellular, then later by AT&T Wireless Services (AWS). Two divisions of AWS are referred to in the time-line below. First, the Wireless Data Division (WDD) of AWS led much of the LSM-related development work. WDD was the division of AWS which had major responsibility for the CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data) network.

Later, the Messaging Division of AWS also made use of the LSM technology in the context of their Narrowband PCS (NPCS) network. In the context of Narrowband PCS, LSM was referred to by the general name of pACT (personal Air Communications Technology).

Summer 1994:

The basic concept of providing wireless e-mail services over the CDPD network was first analyzed.

January 1995:

AWS began creating the LSM protocol specifications. This work was carried out as a joint effort between the Wireless Data Division, and the NPCS Group within the Messaging Division.

January 1995:

AWS began development of the reference implementation of the LSM protocols for both Message Centers and Devices.

June 1995:

WDD submitted the LSM specifications to the CDPD Forum. The WDD made various LSM-related direction statements, and produced several press releases. This resulted in significant press coverage of LSM. Early development of the WAP protocols had the benefit of seeing this public release of LSM technology, and was based in part upon it.

December 1995:

Neda's reference implementation of LSM was completed and ready for demonstration and testing.

December 1995:

AWS sent out Requests For Proposal to potential large-scale Message Center suppliers.

February 1996:

Neda's LSM device implementation interoperated with Aldiscon's Message Center.

March 1996:

Sema Group UK was selected as the production Message Center supplier by AWS.

April 1996:

The pACT Vendor Forum was formed. The initial forum members included Ericsson, PCSI, Aldiscon, AT&T, Casio, NEC, Novatel, Research in Motion, and Sema Group UK.

July 1996:

Neda completed interoperability tests against the PCSI pACT pager.

August 1996:

AWS issued the equivalent of a VAR agreement to Neda for development and distribution of the LSM software.

September 1996:

Neda supplied LSM technology (in the form of source code) to Sema Group UK, and assisted Sema in the development of Message Center products for AWS.

November 1996:

AWS changed the LSM strategy for pACT from two-way to ``mostly one-way plus.''

December 1996:

Neda's palmtop LSM became ready for general testing.

January 1997:

Sema Group UK delivered its first release of the LSM Message Center product.

January 1997:

The Messaging Division of AWS licensed Neda's LSM product set.

February 1997:

Neda's LSM implementation interoperated with Sema Group UK's LSM implementation.

February 1997:

WDD terminated funding of LSM-related work, and focussed instead on early development of WAP.

March 1997:

On March 17, AWS terminated the two-way paging project entirely. The NPCS Group of the Messaging Division was abruptly shut down, all employees were reassigned, and all vendor work terminated. Later the same year, the two nationwide Narrowband PCS licenses belonging to AWS were sold.

April 1997:

Neda began development of EMSD and the Enhanced Two-Way Paging (ETWP) products.

September 1997:

Efficient Short Remote Operations (ESRO) protocol was published as Internet RFC 2188.

June 1998:

The Windows CE efficient e-mail implementation was publicly released by Neda.

August 1998:

ETWP Subscriber Services and web access were made available.

November 1998:

Open maintenance organization EMSD.org was established to support public enhancement of the EMSD protocol.

January 1999:

Open maintenance organization ESRO.org was established to support public enhancement of the ESRO protocol.

February 1999:

Efficient Mail Submission & Delivery (EMSD) protocol was published as Internet RFC 2524 by Neda.

March 2000:

Neda made patent-free declarations to the Free Protocols Foundation with respect to RFC 2188 and RFC 2524.

This brings us up to the present. Our plans for the future of LEAP are described in a separate article in this Manifesto, entitled The Future of LEAP.