Mobile Broadband With Free Laptops

Mobile broadband has already revolutionised super fast internet by making it completely wireless and allowing anyone with a laptop to connect to the internet virtually anywhere in the country. But what if you're completely new to the world of personal computing and broadband internet? Or what if you're a student who doesn't own their own laptop and doesn't have the money to pay out a lump sum for a modern machine?

Have no fear, because there are currently many deals out there that will solve your broadband connection and lack of equipment problems in one fell swoop. All of the big names, from Vodafone to 3 Mobile to Orange offer new customers the opportunity to get a free laptop bundled with a mobile broadband contract, and you will no doubt be wondering what the catch is.

How It Works

Essentially it is slightly misleading to call the laptop 'free' as in reality you will be covering the cost of the laptop over the duration of the contract. The majority of mobile broadband deals which come with free laptops have a fixed term of 24 months, and the price of the monthly fee will be incrementally larger than that of a comparable mobile broadband deal which doesn't come with a laptop.

Plans and Prices

Prices and plans vary depending on which network you choose, and for the light internet user who lacks a laptop 3 Mobile's £20 a month deal is a good starting point. You'll get 1GB usage allowance, the equivalent of around 10 hours of web browsing, as well as a free Compaq Laptop. Vodafone offer a very similar deal with 1GB of usage but with a Dell netbook, and Vodafone's networks trump 3's with 7.2Mbps download speed.

If you want to spend a little more you'll usually be paying for larger monthly usage allowance and other extras. For example, O2's laptop deal costing just under £40 a month includes 10GB usage, a Samsung Laptop and unlimited access to Wi-Fi hotspots around the country.

What Gear's On Offer?

Depending on which network you go for you'll have different choices of makes and models of laptop. For example, 3 Mobile have a choice of either a Compaq or an HP Laptop, but both are similar in spec and available with the same monthly tariff. You will find that in general the free laptops that are available are of the 'netbook' variety.

What this means is that they will have modestly powered processors, medium sized hard drives and usually come with Windows XP rather than the latest Vista operating system. This is all in the aim of providing low cost laptops which are designed and built around web access as their main function. What this means is that though the free laptops won't be gaming power houses they will do most things well and you'll be able to get the most out of your mobile broadband connection.

Who Will Benefit?

Whether you're a student living in rented accommodation who lacks the laptop so essential to modern academic study or a commuter who feels left out if they don't have internet access whilst they're on the go, then mobile broadband deals that include a free laptop are bound to be for you. Use online mobile broadband price comparison in order to sort out the deals according to your specifications and to view offers from all networks.