AT&T taps Jasper to ease bringing 3G to devices
updated 12:30 pm EDT, Thu May 7, 2009
ATT w Jasper for 3G Device
AT&T on Thursday picked Jasper Wireless to help its push into non-phone devices on the company's 3G and later networks. The firm will help streamline the hardware design, software and remote management needed to get the devices recognized on the network. Both companies expect the feature to let handhelds like game consoles and mobile Internet devices (MIDs) reach AT&T sooner along with e-book readers, GPS devices and others that could use a wide-area wireless connection.
The two don't say which devices are likely to be the first to take advantage of Jasper's work, but the first fruits of the teamwork are expected in "coming months."
AT&T has been making a public, concerted effort to grow its 3G network beyond smartphones and data modems and lately is known to be orchestrating a large push into subsidized 3G netbooks where the system price is greatly reduced in return for signing a contract for two years of data service. Apple has also recently shown signs that it's investigating the possibility of 3G-enabled MacBooks sometime in the future.
