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Hewlett-Packard has dropped its GSM/GPRS Wireless Pack for iPAQ Pocket PCs. This has made a lot of iPAQ users mad, resulting in a petition for the company to reinstate the sleeve.

The sleeve allowed users to transform their iPAQ into an International GSM (tri-band: 800, 1800, 1900 MHz) smartphone. Originally developed for the iPAQ 3000 series, the handheld series that put the Pocket PC on the map, the Wireless Sleeve had only been available for a couple of years.

In addition to dropping the GSM/GPRS sleeve, the company has refused to make it compatible with the Wi-Fi enabled iPAQ 5000 series, which can use expansion sleeves like the iPAQ 3000 series. The accessory is also not compatible with Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC, which all iPAQs ship with now.

The petition, which is currently accepting signatures, is planned to be submitted on March 19th.

The iPAQ GSM/GPRS sleeve isn't the only way to make an iPAQ a WAN (Wide Area Network) client. There is also CompactFlash GSM/GPRS card. In addition, iPAQ fans will be able to purchase the iPAQ h6300 later this year, which will be the first iPAQ to integrate cellular networking.