Top computer makers, mobile operators and technology providers announced on Tuesday that upcoming laptop computers would feature mobile broadband making them ready to surf right out of the box. <\/p>\n
Led by the GSM Association (GSMA), a global trade association of mobile operators, the group of 16 companies said the "Mobile Broadband" service mark would be pre-installed on laptop and notebook PCs coming out later this year. <\/p>\n
Equipped with "ready to run" wireless Mobile Broadband devices, the GSMA said in a statement that the "always-connected" PCs would be "ready to switch on and surf straight out of the box in 91 countries across the world". <\/p>\n
The computers would be preconfigured to connect to the Internet via GSM networks used by many telecom operators around the world. <\/p>\n
GSMA’s chief marketing officer Michael O’Hara said several hundred thousand of the Mobile Broadband-equipped laptops could be in stores for the Christmas shopping season. <\/p>\n
"The Mobile Broadband badge will assure consumers that the devices they buy will always connect – wherever Mobile Broadband is available – and that they can expect a high standard of simplicity and mobility,’ he said. <\/p>\n
Mobile Broadband was described by the GSMA-led group as a "compelling alternative to Wi-Fi," whose signals require a "hot spot" and reach a few hundred yards or less. <\/p>\n
Mobile Broadband is also seen as a competing wireless broadband network to WiMAX, which can move data faster and longer distances but whose use is not very widespread for the moment. <\/p>\n
WiMax uses a licensed channel of radio spectrum and can transmit as far as 50km with a stronger signal than Wi-Fi and access faster than most current devices. <\/p>\n
The GSMA, citing a study by Wireless Intelligence, said more than 55 million people currently subscribe to Mobile Broadband services in 91 countries. <\/p>\n
The 16 members of the group plan to spend one billion dollars promoting the Mobile Broadband brand over the next year. <\/p>\n
Members of the group include Microsoft, Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, 3 Group, Asus, ECS, Ericsson, Gemalto, Orange, Qualcomm, Telefonica Europe, Telecom Italia, TeliaSonera, T-Mobile, and Vodafone.<\/p>\n