HP Laptops to Get Cingular Broadband

Hewlett-Packard and Cingular announced a deal on Wednesday to integrate the wireless carrier's Broadband Connect service into future HP laptops. The computer manufacturer previously signed a similar deal with Verizon for its EV-DO network. The feature will enable users to connect to the high-speed wireless service without an extra PC card.

Cingular's UMTS/HSDPA network offers download speeds of between 400-700 kilobits per second, with bursts to 1 megabit. BroadbandConnect is currently available in 16 markets covering 52 cities, and Cingular says it expects to cover most of the United States by the end of the year. HP isn't the only PC maker looking to integrate 3G support into notebooks; Sony and Lenovo plan such functionality as well.