The PC maker plans to add dual-band Wi-Fi networking technology to its line of Latitude business notebooks by the end of 2003.
Dual-band Wi-Fi makes it possible to create 300-foot wireless zones using both the 802.11b and 802.11a technologies.
Dell will include the 802.11b and 802.11a wireless formats as standard features in all of its new Latitude notebooks as it releases new versions throughout the year, said Tony Bonadero, director of marketing for Dell's Latitude notebook line.
"Next year, we see (wireless) becoming a standard offering," he said.
The company, however, isn't alone in pushing dual-band wireless in new products. Intel will jump into the Wi-Fi market early next year with a wireless module code-named Calexico that includes 802.11a and 802.11b chips. The module will work with Intel's newest notebook processor Banias and could become the default choice for PC makers offering dual-band wireless.
Dell is predicting that wireless will soon become almost as ubiquitous as networking technologies such as Ethernet.
About one in five business customers buys a Latitude notebook complete with wireless capabilities, he said. Tri-band wireless, which includes 802.11a, 802.11b and the newer, faster 802.11g format, will eventually become standard with every notebook for little to no extra cost, Bonadero added.
