New Always-on Mobile Broadband
Devices are Coming
It’s a
GSMA-led initiative to create a new category of always-connected mobile
broadband devices, delivering an alternative to Wi-Fi. And 16 major IT and
mobile companies have formed a group to achieve this. The idea is to give
consumers the freedom to get online on the move, while enabling operators
to address an estimated $50 billion opportunity.
In the
first phase of this initiative, mobile operators, PC manufacturers, and
chipset providers are uniting to pre-install mobile broadband into a range
of notebook PCs that will be ready to switch on and surf straight out of
the box in 91 countries across the world.
To
support this initiative, the GSMA has created the mobile broadband service
mark, a new global identifier which will help consumers easily identify
the array of 'ready to run' mobile broadband devices. The service mark is
backed by a global media spend of more than $1 billion in the next year --
evidence that the industry is serious about this proposition.
"Mobile
Broadband is like a home or office broadband connection with one crucial
difference: freedom. Freedom from hot spots, freedom from complexity, and
freedom from security concerns," said Michael O'Hara, CMO of the GSMA.
Integrating mobile broadband into notebook PCs is the first step in a
wider strategy to deliver wireless Internet access and management to a
whole range of previously unconnected devices -- from cameras and MP3
players to refrigerators, cars, and set-top boxes. However, only devices
that offer a truly un-tethered experience, such as those offered by the 16
companies announced in today's program, will qualify to carry the new
service mark.
Launch
participants include 3 Group, Asus, Dell, ECS, Ericsson, Gemalto, Lenovo,
Microsoft, Orange, Qualcomm, Telefonica Europe, Telecom Italia,
TeliaSonera, T-Mobile, Toshiba, and Vodafone.
The GSM
Association (GSMA) is the global trade group representing more than 750
GSM mobile operators across 218 countries and territories of the world.
The Association's members represent more than 3 billion GSM and 3GSM
connections -- over 86% of the world's mobile phone connections, according
to GSMA.
Related Articles:
Nanoradio Wi-Fi Solution for 3G UMA Mobile
Bridgewater Goes to Russia for Mobile WiMAX
Motorola for WiMAX Network in East Malaysia
Reference Design for Wi-Fi PAN Optical Mouse
Your
Comments:
