Gobi™

The Mobile Internet’s Bad Rep

In the world of real estate, the name of the game is “location, location, location.” In the world of wireless technology, it’s “connectivity, connectivity, connectivity.” And, in the world of notebook computer users, limited connectivity can give “mobile Internet” a bad reputation.

“ We want to enable enterprise organizations and consumers with the freedom to choose their service provider according to their coverage, performance and pricing criteria—without being restricted by technology. ”

- Paul Guckian

Vice President of Engineering at Qualcomm

Mobile Internet should not:


A truly mobile Internet is global, dependable, and hassle-free.

Yours Truly, the Mobile Internet

Qualcomm is making this truly mobile Internet a reality with its Gobi™ Global Mobile Internet technology. Gobi-enabled notebooks will be commercially available this year, through such prominent notebook manufacturers as Acer, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Panasonic.

Gobi-powered notebooks are like roving, dependable Internet connections, allowing notebook users to access the Internet wherever they have mobile phone service.

Free to Choose

To provide simple and reliable mobile Internet, Qualcomm has created a solution that empowers notebook users with not only the most sophisticated 3G technologies, but also with more options when it comes to wireless carriers’ service plans. This power to choose will be key for the Gobi solution to be well adopted in the marketplace.

“People want flexibility. They may not want to sign up for two-year contracts with wireless carriers at the time of buying their notebooks,” says Paul Guckian, vice president of engineering at Qualcomm. “We want to enable enterprise organizations and consumers with the freedom to choose their service provider according to their coverage, performance and pricing criteria—without being restricted by technology.”

Innovation and Value throughout the Value Chain

How did Gobi happen? Qualcomm considered the needs of all stakeholders involved to ensure that the solution would benefit everyone included in the value chain, from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to network carriers to end-users. This holistic, “big-picture” approach is inherent to the way Qualcomm does business.

“We can develop awe-inspiring technologies that do amazing things, but if they don’t provide value for the people who will have to pay for them, then it’s all for naught,” says Guckian.

By partnering with leading notebook computer OEMs, Qualcomm has simplified the OEMs’ supply chain logistics. The Gobi team collaborated with its partners to explore new possibilities for marketing, pricing, and integration processes that are now made possible by Gobi technology.

“We worked with our partners to reevaluate traditional business models and then create new models to better serve the needs of the mobile Internet consumer,” says Guckian. “When faced with a challenge, we stayed focused on the customer and built a solution that afforded true flexibility for the consumers, carriers and notebook OEMs. Flexibility in both our partnerships and our technology solutions was inherent to our successful innovation.”

Power to the People

As a result of Qualcomm’s dedication to creating value all along the supply chain, the choice-of-carrier flexibility is a key feature of the Gobi technology. In addition, as carriers work to seek potential customers, consumers will benefit from increasingly attractive data pricing plans and improved networks that will support their connectivity and coverage needs. Guckian emphasizes, “We have an impressive level of tenacity at Qualcomm and it not only helped us develop yet another world-class multimode solution, but it is influencing positive changes throughout an entire market.”