Intel have announced today that T-Mobile, a daughter company of Deutsche Telekom, will collaborate on the roll-out of 3G/3.5G-enabled MIDs across Europe. Watch out for big announcements a CeBIT that relate to this. I bet T-Mobile join Intel on stage at some point.
What this means for the end user is the ability to buy a ultra mobile PC or MID at subsidised prices based on the Internet services they take from the carrier. It means something very significant for ARM too though. Intel are getting into the carrier channels and that’s a huge huge distribution and marketing capability.
Over the next 18 months there will be a big push aimed at getting people signed up for 24-month data contracts before the price for mobile data goes through the floor and if T-Mobile can sign someone up with two devices and two data contracts, they will. I expect MIDs to enable some very creative packages from the likes of T-Mobile, Vodafone, 3UK and Orange in Europe. “A free mobile Internet and video device with that iPhone sir? Just sign up for this 20 Euro per month contract and you’ll get high-fidelity TV over IP services along with a real PC-in-your-hand experience.”
In the same press release: ‘Intel enables the best Internet experience in your pocket.’ JKK picked up on that ‘best’ bit. It’s so funny to hear Intel say that because from where I’m standing it looks like a retaliatory comment in ARMs direction for what they said last week.
Intel Mobile World Factsheet. (PDF)
