The GSM Association plans to spend more than $1 billion promoting a Mobile Broadband service mark to signify that their gear is GSM compatibile, delivering “a compelling alternative to Wi-Fi.”
The GSMA said the Mobile Broadband service mark (right), incorporates HSPA (High Speed Packet Access), HSPA Evolved and LTE (Long Term Evolution). Laptops with the new mark will support speeds of at least 3.6Mbps. The technical specification states that 3.6Mbps is required, and that 7.2Mbps is recommended, but the mark will always look the same.
The branding effort, a take-off on the Wi-Fi service mark (left), is supported by GSM supporters including Microsoft, leading PC providers like ASUS, Dell, Lenovo and Toshiba and cellular companies like 3Group, Ericsson, Gemalto, Orange, Qualcomm, T-Mobile, Telecom Italia, TeliaSonera, and Vodafone.
Apple and Intel are not joining this party. Apple’s iPhone includes Wi-Fi while Intel is a leading proponent of both WiMax and Wi-Fi, often considered competitors to cellular wireless services. Also not part of the program are laptop manufactures such as HP, Apple, Sony, Panasonic, NEC, and Fujitsu.
A GSMA survey found that 88% of consumers planning to purchase notebooks indicated that want Mobile Broadband built in to their notebooks. The association added that its research shows that 57% of the demand for the wireless technologies will come from emerging Asia-Pacific countries. North America represents 15% and Western Europe 11%.
“There is a lot of alphabet soup coming around the corner,” says the perfectly named GSMA project director, Ton Brand. “Whether it’s HSPA, evolved HSPA, or LTE, we wanted one single brand that would get consumers’ attention.”
