With Windows 7, Microsoft is gearing up to kick the operating system's mobile connectivity capabilities to the next level. The next iteration of the Windows client brings to the table a range of mobile broadband enhancements, which will see a strong support from a variety of Microsoft partners. The Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona acted as the stage for more than just Windows Mobile-focused announcements, as Microsoft also made public a line-up of partners that had already pledged to support the native Windows 7 mobile broadband enhancements.

According to Microsoft, the following companies are ready to make sure that Windows 7 is embraced seamlessly by mobile broadband connections: Acer, Asus, Birdstep Technology, Dell, Ericsson, HP, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Huawei Communications Technologies, Option, Qualcomm, Sierra Wireless, Smith Micro, T-Mobile International and ZTE.

“Windows 7’s Mobile Broadband enhancements give people a more reliable way to connect to the Internet using a wireless modem. Taking advantage of this feature is just like connecting to any other wireless network, and is done using the View Available Networks feature,” Brandon LeBlanc, Windows communications manager on the Windows Client Communications Team, revealed.

Microsoft initially demoed Windows 7 Mobile Broadband at the Windows hardware Engineering Conference in Los Angeles in early November 2008. And even at that time these partners were ready to jump aboard, since Sierra Wireless revealed that it would offer support for the enhancements since that particular moment. Via Windows 7 Mobile, Broadband users of the operating system will be able to take advantage of mobile broadband services turning to nothing more than the View Available Networks feature.

“A consistent experience for customers on top of a common infrastructure for partners to build off of enables several benefits including lower support, maintenance, deployment and management costs. It also allows partners to focus on higher-end services instead of having to focus on basic connectivity development,” LeBlanc added.