Dell in laptop modem deals

US-based computer manufacturer, Dell Inc, is planning to incorporate HSPA mobile-broadband modules from telecom equipment manufacturer, Ericsson of Sweden, in its laptops.

This will allow the laptops to connect to high speed 3G networks, which are expected to account for 71% of mobile broadband connections by 2010, without the need for an external modem.

3G networks can provide data transfer speeds of 7.2 megabits per second, providing access to rich media content which was previously only available through a wired connection or WiFi.

The news follows Dell’s announcement of a deal to use Qualcomm’s Gobi chipset for its embedded mobile broadband.

Unlike Ericsson’s chipset, Gobi is compatible with EV-DO, and would allow users to roam between HSPA and EV-DO networks.

Dell hasn’t revealed the relationship between the two deals, but it seems likely that Ericsson’s module could be used in lower-end machines, reserving Gobi for top-of-the range models.

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