AT&T Certifies Qualcomm’s Gobi Global Mobile Internet Technology For Use On the AT&T Network

AT&T Certifies Qualcomm’s Gobi Global Mobile Internet Technology For Use On the AT&T Network
DALLAS and SAN DIEGO . - AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), a leading developer and innovator of advanced wireless technologies and data solutions, today announced that Qualcomm’s Gobi™ global mobile Internet technology has been certified for use on the AT&T mobile broadband network.

Gobi technology gives users the freedom to connect to the Internet over wide-area wireless networks, providing fast, secure and convenient mobile broadband access and GPS functionality virtually anywhere in the world1 via leading 3G wireless networks. With Gobi-embedded notebook computers running on the AT&T network, customers will realize higher connection speeds, as well as access to the nation’s fastest 3G service when in the U.S. and the industry’s largest international wireless footprint when abroad.

Today, the companies also announced certification for notebooks from two leading brands - Panasonic and HP. Two of Panasonic’s Gobi-enabled, fully rugged notebooks-the convertible tablet Toughbook 19 and flagship Toughbook 30 notebook-are now certified on AT&T’s HSPA (High Speed Packet Access)-based BroadbandConnect 3G network. In addition, AT&T, Qualcomm and HP announced today that HP’s refreshed line of notebooks featuring built-in AT&T and Gobi technology has been certified by AT&T.

“Qualcomm’s Gobi technology is an innovation that will provide AT&T customers with significant benefits that we believe will lead to increased adoption of notebooks with built-in wide-area wireless technology, particularly among the business community,” said Carolyn Billings, executive director of product marketing management for AT&T’s wireless operation. “Gobi technology supports the high speeds available on AT&T’s network and will provide our customers with potential cost savings on their hardware investments, a key consideration that could lead to the broader deployment of embedded notebooks.”

“We are pleased to have reached this milestone with AT&T,” said Mike Concannon, senior vice president of product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “This certification creates even more opportunity for today’s mobile consumers to enjoy truly mobile Internet access using Gobi-equipped devices.”

AT&T joins a growing list of leading operators from around the world that have certified Gobi technology for use on their networks. In the coming weeks, AT&T, working with leading notebook OEMs, plans to launch ambitious marketing programs to support the rollout of Gobi-enabled notebooks and services.

The embedded Gobi solution includes Qualcomm’s MDM1000™ chipset, associated software and APIs, and a reference design for a software-defined configurable data modem supporting HSPA-with full backward compatibility to GPRS /EDGE-and other 3G wireless technologies.

AT&T BroadbandConnect is the nation’s fastest 3G network with typical download speeds between 700 Kbps (kilobits per second) and 1.7 Mbps (megabits per second). Typical uplink speeds range between 500 Kbps and 1.2 Mbps. BroadbandConnect is available today in more than 300 major U.S. metropolitan areas and, by year’s end, AT&T expects to offer the service in nearly 350 major metro areas. AT&T has the broadest international wireless footprint of any U.S. operator, providing customers access in more than 150 countries, including more than 60 countries with 3G networks.
1 International service limited to countries in which an operator has roaming agreements.