Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/01/24/vodafone_mobile_connect_card_broadband/
Vodafone is gearing up to extend its Mobile Connect Card notebook mobile phone connectivity add-in line-up with a card that supports the High Speed Data Packet Access (HSDPA) bandwidth-boosting upgrade to 3G networks.
Separately, Dell this week said it was partnerning with Vodafone to bring HSPDA connectivity to future notebook products as an optional extra later this year.
The Vodafone Mobile Connect Card Broadband is based on Option's GlobeTrotter HSDPA card, which the Belgium-based company launched this week. The card provides download speeds of up to 1.8Mbps (the upload speed is 384Kbps), up to five times faster than today's standard 3G networks, Option said. If no HSDPA network is available, the card automatically establishes the fastest connection it can using 3G, EDGE or GPRS.
The GlobeTrotter HSDPA is already shipping in support of the commercial roll-out plans of network operators in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, according to Option.
One of the first cellcos to offer the card will be Vodafone, which this week began selling the Vodafone Mobile Connect Card Broadband through Mobilkom Austria.
Vodafone UK's official timetable for its HSDPA roll-out calls for the service to be offered commercially by the middle of the year. Dell said it would offer HSDPA as a build-to-order option sometime during the first half of 2006. Its deal with Vodafone is likely to centre on pre-installing the Vodafone Mobile Connect Card Broadband and bundling an appropriate Vodafone airtime package.
Acer, too, has said it will this year ship notebooks with the ability to connect to the Internet via HSDPA, specifically its TravelMate 4260 and Aspire 5650 machines. ®
Dell ships notebook with 'super 3G' card (7 June 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/07/dell_ships_hsdpa_laptop_3g_card/
Samsung ships first HSDPA phone you can buy (17 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/17/samsung_ships_first_hspda_phone/
T-Mobile UK confirms VoIP ban (11 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/11/t-mobile_voip_ban_responds/
T-Mobile UK ships 'Super 3G' data card (9 May 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/09/t-mobile_hsdpa_datacard/
Acer touts 'super 3G' notebook duo (7 April 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/04/07/acer_3g_hsdpa_notebooks/
Orange kicks off HSDPA trial in France (14 March 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/14/orange_hsdpa/
Voda outlines timetable for HSDPA trial (9 March 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/09/vodafone_hsdpa/
HSDPA puts 3G on steroids (15 February 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/15/hsdpa/
Intel looks to SIM cards for universal wireless access (15 February 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/15/intel_backs_notebook_sim_slots/
Ergo preps pink PC for breast cancer charity (6 February 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/06/ergo_pink_pc/
Sony Ericsson to ship iPod-styled 3G email phone in Q2 (6 February 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/06/sony_ericsson_launches_m600/
Sony to ship dual-GPU, dual-core Vaio mid-March (2 February 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/02/sony_readies_vaio_sz_series/
Embedded HSDPA for notebooks (2 February 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/02/emedded_hsdpa/
Vodafone besieged by short termists (30 January 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/30/vodafone_verizon/
O2 pre-announces XDA Neo PDA phone (25 January 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/01/25/o2_germany_xda_neo/
Vodafone stands up to shareholders (25 January 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/25/vodafone_defends_verizon_strategy/
Orange all a-quiver over 'vibro-tactile' mobile phone (24 January 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/01/24/orange_vibetonz_e770/
Acer to integrate 3G into notebooks (20 January 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/01/20/acer_3g_notebooks/
Hands on with Samsung's HSDPA mobile (9 January 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/09/samsungs_hsdpa_mobile/
HTC confirms HSDPA 3G handsets will ship H2 2006 (25 November 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/11/25/htc_confirms_hsdpa_plan/
O2 to offer UK 'super 3G' data network by Q3 06 (9 November 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/09/o2_3g_hsdpa/
O2 pushes ahead with super-fast mobile service (20 October 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/20/o2_manx/
T-Mobile goes large on mobile net access (6 October 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/06/t_mobile_internet/