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Phone firms, chip makers and PC manufacturers are uniting to push mobile
broadband on laptop computers.
The alliance will build wireless modules into laptops to make it much easier to
use the gadgets on future high-speed services.
Laptops with the wireless chips built-in will bear a service mark which shows
they will work with the third and fourth generation wireless technology.
The branded laptops should be on shop shelves in 91 nations by Christmas.
Fast forward
Laptops and notebook computers bearing the "Mobile Broadband" logo will have
on-board modules that will boost current third generation speeds and work with
future fourth generation technologies.
At their fastest, these technologies - which include High Speed Packet Access
(HSPA) and Long Term Evolution - support web browsing speeds of up to 7
megabits per second (Mbps).
"It's comparable to fixed broadband services and close to what you get in a
wi-fi hot spot," said Mike O'Hara, a spokesman for the GSM Alliance which has
brokered the tie-up on Mobile Broadband.
Mr O'Hara said the laptops would eventually be available where people now buy
mobile phones.
...it's not really necessary for what they are trying to achieve
Steven Hartley, Ovum
"You can go to an operator's store, buy a laptop and it will be already fitted
so you can go online instantly.
"That's a powerful proposition.
"There's a natural evolution such as we saw with wi-fi which at first used to
need an external card and became embedded."
Hugh Padfield, principal manager for PC connectivity at Vodafone, said: "The
important thing for us is to make it as easy for customers to buy mobile
broadband."
He said the logo and branding scheme would help reassure customers about the
laptops that will work with future fast net services.
"It will help to create even more momentum than what we have already seen with
mobile broadband," he said.
"It's reached something of a tipping point even before it's been built in."
The deal to produce the modules, build them in to laptops and the campaign
around the Mobile Broadband log has been brokered by the GSM Alliance - the
trade body that represents 80% of the world's mobile phone firms.
The 16 firms in the Mobile Broadband alliance have pledged to spend about 554m
($1bn) to promote the logo and inform customers about laptops fitted with the
technology.
Laptop makers Dell, Toshiba and Lenovo have signed up to the alliance along
with 3, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Ericsson, Orange, Qualcomm and Vodafone.
It is not yet clear when mobile operators will roll out the wireless
technologies that will help buyers of the branded laptops use the high-speed
services.
We need to know that we can move effortlessly between different wi-fi zones and
providers and then onto the 3G network when appropriate
Rory Cellan-Jones
BBC technology correspondent
Mr O'Hara from the GSMA said laptops were just the start of the process of
connecting more devices with mobile broadband technologies. The wireless
modules would soon crop up in digital cameras, music players, cars and phones.
But Steven Hartley, senior analyst at consultancy Ovum, expressed scepticism
about the deal.
"My feeling is that it's not really necessary for what they are trying to
achieve," he said.
"If you look at the uptake of mobile broadband services do they really need an
initiative like this?
"The operators and vendors are working together anyway to ensure these things
are interoperable."
Given that mobile broadband was already catching on, Mr Hartley also wondered
how the success of the initiative would be measured.
"It's going to be interesting to see how it's going to be implemented and
what's included in the package," he said.