Dell Makes WWAN Enabling Easy For 3G/4G Equipped Notebooks

Thank heavens, there are still companies out there that are trying to put themselves in the shoes of the consumer. We still say far too few are doing this on a regular basis, but Dell has really hit a home run with their latest innovation. And honestly, we're shocked it took this long to get in order, but we know dealing with multi-company partnerships (and particularly with cellular operators) can be tiresome.


The news is Dell's Mobile Activation Center, and it's now live. And if you're thinking about buying a WWAN-equipped machine, we'd say Dell just took a leg up on everyone else. Basically, this new portal allows you to activate your mobile broadband service that ships with your WWAN-enabled netbook or notebook without ever having to wonder about "how." Now, consumers get their machine and ponder the options: Do you contact Dell or the wireless carrier? Does it require visiting a store?  Can I add it to my existing plan or is it a new plan? That's all over and done with if you choose a Dell.

Currently, the service can be enabled at checkout when you buy a machine, and all of the options above are laid out as choices before you ever see the laptop. Dell took the wireless activation process from the carriers and integrated it into their shopping cart; a process that took a lot of time to accomplish, but one that will likely gain them lots of business. It's only available for U.S. customers now, but other markets should be served soon. Now, if only that mobile data weren't so expensive...