Tarsus Technologies has announced the availability of HP's range of NC6400 notebooks with embedded UMTS and HSDPA functionality.
The new notebooks will allow users to seamlessly connect to the fastest and most cost-effective Internet connectivity methodology, namely HSDPA, without the need for any additional hardware.
In areas where HSDPA coverage is limited, the notebooks will also have the ability to scale down to standard 3G, EDGE and GPRS connectivity.
Jason McMillan, HP product manager at Tarsus, states that with this new option, all that is needed to take advantage of high-speed connectivity is an active SIM card on the Vodacom network.
He says the same functionality will also be available for MTN clients in the next few months.
McMillan believes this announcement is great news for large enterprises and corporates, as well as SMEs with mobile workforces, as it will simplify the process of staying connected, regardless of location.
"There's no longer a need to carry around a separate piece of hardware - one simply slots the SIM card into a port located in the back cover of the notebook and they are ready to go live," he says. "It's an integrated module, so there's no chance of users leaving their connectivity behind, or losing the hardware they would normally need to connect to the mobile networks.
The integrated modules lend themselves to more effective power management, allowing executives to get as much mobile use from their notebooks as they did before.
McMillan notes that mobile connectivity is big news in the business sector, and the South African market's appetite for innovative, cost-effective and always-on broadband connectivity is as strong, if not stronger, than many of the more developed markets worldwide.
"The recent price cuts of as much as 61% by the two major cellular operators locally have only added to this healthy demand. The new HP NC6400 range could not have come at a better time," he adds.
McMillan says the availability of HSDPA on the NC6400 is only the first step in HP's strategy to ensure 24-hour mobile broadband connectivity across a much larger part of its notebook portfolio.
"We predict the NC6400 will achieve great success in South Africa, and HP will soon be announcing the availability of the same functionality on its NC4400, TC4400 and NC8430 platforms.
"With this vital differentiator added to its arsenal, HP will definitely become a favourite with local businesses," he concludes.
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With more than 20 years of experience in the ICT industry, Tarsus is the leading value-added distributor in South Africa, specialising in the supply of the world's foremost PC and peripheral hardware brands to the local reseller channel.
Tarsus strives to meet the channel's needs for credit funding, stock availability and efficient logistics, ensuring that resellers are able to deliver the highest quality service to their customers, focus on support and compile the best overall solutions for their end-user customer base at the lowest possible cost.
The company prides itself on its flexibility, adaptability, knowledge, skills and successful track-record, combined with an industry-leading ability to manage large roll-outs. These are the reasons Tarsus has consistently been rated as the top distributor in the country by international vendors, resellers and the IT media alike.
With its strong commitment to the South African channel, Tarsus is able to not only make the reseller channel more efficient, but more importantly, it plays a vital role in dramatically reducing the costs of doing business in the local ICT market.
Brands represented by the Tarsus stable include industry leaders like Acer, Cisco, HP, IBM, i-mate, Lenovo, OKI, Samsung, TallyGenicom, Targus and Wyse Technology.
More information about Tarsus is available at: http://www.tarsus.co.za.
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