Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and Lenovo, the world's third largest PC maker, have aligned to provide mobile broadband modules based on HSPA - the world's most widely commercially deployed technology for mobile broadband. Select Lenovo ThinkPad notebooks will include mobile broadband modules beginning in 2008. Lenovo is Ericsson's first announced mobile broadband module customer.
HSPA provides a DSL-like experience wirelessly and is currently capable of peak download rates of up to 14.4 Mbps and peak upload rates of up to 2.0 Mbps. There are currently more than 160 commercially deployed HSPA networks globally, serving more than one billion subscribers.
Ericsson's mobile broadband modules provide the end user with a simple and cost effective solution for broadband access while on the go. Seamlessly integrated with and optimized to work within the notebook, the built-in broadband module provides superior downloading and uploading performance and takes less power from the battery. Leveraging Ericsson's in-house HSPA chipset technology and strong patent cross-licensing position, the company's economies of scale and longstanding operator relationships, Ericsson can offer a very competitive mobile broadband module solution that will help further drive a mass market for mobile broadband.
