Look for the seal of mobile broadband approval

Soon, mobile phone users won't have to find Wi-Fi hotspots anymore. Instead, they will just need to look for the seal of Mobile Broadband approval on future notebook computers.

In order to fully support this new initiative, the GSMA has created the mobile broadband service mark, a global identifier that will let consumers find “ready to run” mobile broadband devices.

According to Mike O’Hara, spokesperson for the GSMA, notebook computers are just the first target of the initiative. The companies plan to also target a range of previously unconnected devices including cameras, MP-3 players, refrigerators, cars and set-top boxes.

"Overall, there will always be a place for Wi-Fi, but mobile broadband will liberate users from the spatial tyranny of the so-called hotspot,” said Shiv Bakhshi, IDC’s director of mobility research.

Some of the launch participants include 3 Group, Asus, Dell, ECS, Ericsson, Gemalto, Lenovo, Microsoft, Orange, Qualcomm, Telefónica Europe, Telecom Italia, TeliaSonera, T-Mobile USA, Toshiba and Vodafone.