GSM's "Mobile Broadband" service mark: timely initiative or a can of worms?

The first phase of a new strategy will see devices such as laptop and notebook computers being labeled with conspicuous stickers (very much along the lines of the "Intel Inside" decals that are plastered on so many devices today) so that consumers will be able quickly to identify items that are mobile broadband-enabled and will work as such "straight out of the box".

The 16 companies (the 3 Group, Asus, Dell, ECS, Ericsson, Gemalto, Lenovo, Microsoft, Orange, Qualcomm, Telefónica Europe, Telecom Italia, TeliaSonera, T-Mobile, Toshiba and Vodafone) involved in the initiative have set aside in excess of US$1 billion just to market it and, in point of fact already co-operate widely in the provision of products embedded with mobile broadband access capability. Some analysts are thus saying that the yesterday's bally-hoo is about little more than a plastic sticker slapped on the front of a laptop.

For example, Steven Hartley, a senior analyst at the consulting and research house Ovum says,  "The GSMA has launched what is essentially an awareness campaign to help drive take-up and use of mobile broadband on laptops and other non-handset type devices. Yet mobile broadband uptake is already growing rapidly without it. It could be argued that any promotion is better than nothing, but it looks a lot like this initiative is designed as a defensive move against WiMAX branding."

Furthermore, although there are some big names amongst the 16 that have signed-up in support of the GSMA's initiative, some equally big (and even bigger ones) are conspicuous by their absence. For example, where are laptop manufacturers such as Apple, Fujitsu, HP, NEC, Panasonic and Sony? As Steven Hartley points out, "For a sticker to drive user buying decisions it needs industry wide support."

In essence, the Mobile Broadband service mark is a symbol representing what is being presented as a "global standard" that includes HSPA, HSPA Evolved and LTE. However, critics have been quick to point out that long-established independent bodies a such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), have always been recognised as providing the last word in electrical and electronic standards. The IEEE has given the world Wi-Fi, BlueTooth, and WiMax – open and free standards designed and agreed upon by experts representing manufacturers, carriers and consumers.

Furthermore, OEMs know that embedding mobile broadband connectivity in a laptop of notebook is both complex and expensive. According to the GSMA itself, it costs in the region of $70 to build-in HSPA connectivity at the moment and the introduction of a new service mark will only have an effect if volumes of enabled devices are quickly increased.