Wifi Revolution

Sixteen of the world’s best known IT and mobile companies reportedly have united behind a GSMA (News - Alert)-led initiative to create a new category of always-connected Mobile Broadband devices.

 

With the alliance, the companies aim to offer a compelling alternative to WiFi (News - Alert).

 

The GSMA has created the Mobile Broadband service mark to support this initiative – a new global identifier which will help consumers easily identify the array of “ready to run” Mobile Broadband devices. Reflecting the fact that the industry is serious about this proposition, the Mobile Broadband service mark is backed by a global media spend of more than $1 billion in the next year.

 

Mobile operators, PC manufacturers and chipset providers are uniting to pre-install Mobile Broadband into a range of notebook PCs in the first phase of this unprecedented initiative. These PCs will be ready to switch on and surf straight out of the box in 91 countries across the globe.

 

The step in a wider strategy to provide wireless Internet access and management to a complete range of previously unconnected devices is the integration of Mobile Broadband into notebook PCs. However, only devices that offer a truly untethered Mobile Broadband experience will qualify to carry the new service mark. These devices include the ones offered by the 16 companies announced in the current program.

 

As more than 55 million people subscribe to Mobile Broadband services in 91 countries, the number is expected to surge by four million per month by the end of 2008, according to Wireless Intelligence. Based on the latest technology available to offer the highest standard of fully mobile connectivity, the Mobile Broadband mark promises a superior customer experience. Supported by major PC manufacturers such as Lenovo (News - Alert) and Toshiba, the products work out of the box and are fully integrated for maximum simplicity.

 

“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, chief marketing officer of the GSMA. “Today, 16 of the world’s largest technology companies have committed to change the way people get online forever. This commitment is manifested in a service mark that we expect to see on several hundred thousand notebooks in the shops by the holiday season. 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.”

 

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