Ericsson connects Dell's laptops with HSPA

The two will work to allow roaming on tri-band HSPA mobile broadband networks on a range of Dell’s notebooks. Australian users will see the products in late Quarter two of 2008.

Whether or not the products will go through OfficeWorks has yet to be confirmed. Dell’s Australian media representatives told CRN that at this time it is not known if the products would be available through Dell’s newly signed Australian retail partner – Officeworks.

More details on how the products will go out to market in Australia will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

According to Colin Goodwin, strategic marketing manager Networks Ericsson Australia HSPA is a widely deployed mobile broadband technology, with 185 commercially deployed networks available around the world serving.

"Embedded HSPA modules enable mobile broadband that is tightly integrated with the notebook. Not only is there no need to purchase and carry a separate card or dongle that can be lost or damaged, but embedded modules have better radio performance and lower power consumption than an external card," he said.

According to Goodwin, Ericsson sees mobile broadband being integrated into notebooks and other devices in three waves. First, in notebooks aimed at business users, second in notebooks aimed at consumers, and third in other consumer electronic devices such as GPS navigators, in-car entertainment systems, gaming devices and cameras.

"Ericsson has a long-term vision to bring mobile broadband to all notebooks and connected devices - consumer electronics is going mobile,” he said. “Consumers are increasingly utilising notebooks to access the high-capacity services that they have typically experienced only through a wired or WiFi connection,” he said.

Goodwin believes the PC market has seen a very strong trend in favour of laptops and while cards and dongles are practical for desktop machines, they are less practical for laptops.

“The embedded modules are going to be the preferred option, just as they have become the preferred approach for WiFi. Consequently, we expect PC sales to see a strong requirement for the embedded modules in laptops," he said.