AfricaCom 2008: Qualcomm demonstrates mobile broadband solutions

The demonstrations take place from 18 - 19 November in Qualcomm's stand (B14a, Hall 3) at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa and will include the company's recently announced Kayak PC alternative for emerging markets, as well as demonstrations of HSPA+ and EV-DO Rev. B wireless broadband technologies.

The Kayak PC alternative aims to leverage the widespread availability of mobile broadband to bring Internet connectivity to markets where wired Internet access has been slow incoming, difficult to access or unaffordable. It includes a reference design and recommended software specifications that will be made available to device manufacturers. Manufacturers can then design a wide range of Kayak-based devices that can make use of the design's integration, connectivity and functionality possibilities. The devices will offer a full-featured Web 2.0 browser able to perform at desktop resolutions. The reference design features Web 2.0 productivity applications accessible through the browser, and it also can function as a music player and/or a 3D gaming console. In the future, commercial Kayak-based devices may also be powered by Snapdragon solutions.

“It is a great pleasure to showcase our technology successes at AfricaCom, and especially to demonstrate how they are contributing to social and economic development around the world,” says Jeff Jacobs, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Qualcomm.

In a keynote session entitled “Ensuring affordability of internet access by deploying cost-effective networks,” Jing Wang will discuss the main challenges facing operators deploying wireless networks in today's environment and how they can reduce costs. The session is scheduled for Tuesday, 18 November.

Using cost-efficient networks to benefit societies has been a goal of Qualcomm's Wireless Reach initiative, which works together with local and global partners to bring wireless technology to developing communities. The company's most recent Wireless Reach projects include three HSPA-powered Internet cafés in Tanzania, which are promoting local entrepreneurship by bringing high-speed wireless broadband access for the first time to unconnected communities. Other efforts in Africa include the use of 3G wireless communications to improve health care.

AfricaCom attendees interested in high-speed networking technologies and entertainment can view the latest advancements in wireless broadband through Qualcomm's demonstrations of HSPA+ and EV-DO Rev. B. These technologies, which support the entire range of IP services, deliver data throughput in excess of 27 Mbps and is said to provide excellent user experiences for services such as Voice over IP (VoIP), low-latency gaming and push-to-talk. Qualcomm will also display some of the market's leading mobile handsets featuring Qualcomm's BREW solution and MediaFLO broadcast mobile TV technology.