Hot-Spot or Mobile Broadband

PAY-G Mobile broadband:

Mobile broadband in UK has given great flexibility in terms of broadband service. It works similar to a mobile phone and also uses the same 3G and HSDPA technology for transferring data. These services can be obtained either as a monthly contract or as a Pay as you go service.

Mobile broadband uses a USB 2.0 dongle, which will have a provision to insert the SIM card given by the broadband provider. In a monthly contract, customer does not pay for the USB dongle instead sign up for a minimum of one year. While in a PAY G service customer has to purchase the dongle and the SIM card at a nominal initial fee. Once the device gets activated they can do a top up according to their usage or download.

In a PAYG broadband service, customer does not pay according to the usage or does not pay any monthly rental. Once they purchase the device they can plug it to a computer or a notebook and start using it instantly. It does not require any software to be installed manually. Once the device is plugged in to the computer it automatically performs a one time installation of the required software after which the customer just clicks on the connect button to go online. Customer has to choose the top up package depending upon the usage which is calculated in Mbps (mega-byte-per-second).

Almost all the broadband providers like O2, T-mobile, Vodafone, 3-Mobile, and Orange offer PAYG mobile broadband service.

Did you know you can get a free Asus Eee PC 901 in pink if you sign up to Orange’s mobile broadband service?

The Asus Eee PC kicked off the current trend for so called netbooks or mini-laptops and the latest version, the 901, comes in a rather fetching pink design that really stands out from the majority of boring black, grey and white netbooks. Don’t worry if pink is not your thing, Orange also sell a black version for the more conservative Eee PC buyers out there!

Orange are offering the pink Asus Eee PC 901 for free if you sign up to their mobile broadband service for £24.47 a month which includes 3GB of data download each month and lasts 24 months.

Asus Eee PC 901 features:

• 16GB storage
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• up to 5 hours battery life
• WiFi enabled
• Built in mobile broadband
• Windows XP
• 8.9″ screen
• weighs just 1.1kg
• 1024MB RAM
• 2 year warranty

Read more at Orange.co.uk

The sexy Samsung NC10 laptop is available for free with O2 mobile broadband.  If you sign up to a 24 month 3GB tariff for £29.38 a month you get a free Samsung NC10 laptop.  Splash out another £10 and you get a full 10GB of data download. 

Specification:

• 1GB Memory and 160 GB Hard Drive
• Intel Atom N270 processor 1.6 GHz
• Windows XP
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• up to 5 hours battery life
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Dimensions (mm): 261 x 30 x 186
• Includes 10.2″ slipcase worth £9.78

Read more at O2.co.uk

Huge news in the WiFi Hotspot world today. Starbucks has agreed a deal with BT Openzone that sees them replace T-Mobile as the sole provider of WiFi in 650 Starbucks coffee shops in the UK.

BT Openzone already partners with O2 to provide WiFi access to its customers.  You’ll soon be able to get WiFi access on your iPhone in every Starbucks in the UK and from the summer O2’s mobile broadband customers will also be able to access WiFi whilst sipping a grande caramel skinny latte.

The deal will last 5 years and BT Openzone start installing the service this week with the rollout complete by the end of the summer.

So if you’re currently deciding which mobile broadband with WiFi package to get and you’re a closet Starbucks fan, forget T-Mobile and get O2.

Go to O2.co.uk to see their latest mobile broadband deals

Go to T-Mobile to see their latest mobile broadband deals

Compare the best ‘free’ laptop mobile broadband deals

Buying a new laptop for your family or yourself?  Thinking about signing up for mobile broadband?    There are loads of deals out there - we compare the best.

Cheapest Laptop with Mobile Broadband Deals

Laptop	Laptop Spec	Operator	Laptop Cost	Monthly Cost	Data	Buy Now
Free Acer Aspire 150b*	Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz 8.9 CrystalBrite Screen XP Home 1 GB Memory 160GB HDD Ultra light - Under 1KG		Free	£17.50 a month	1GB a month
Free Asus Eee PC	Compact netbook with 8.9″ LCD screen Built-in WiFi and webcam Windows XP and Microsoft Works 80GB hard drive and 1GB memory		Free	£20 a month	3GB a month
Free Samsung NC10*	Windows XP Home Edition SP3 1.6GHz Intel® Atom Processor 1GB RAM Wi-Fi Integrated Webcam 10.2″ Widescreen LED display 160GB Hard drive 1.3 megapixel webcam 1.3kg weight 2 year warranty Colour - black		Free	£25 a month	1GB a month
Free Samsung NC10*	Windows XP Home Edition SP3 1.6GHz Intel® Atom Processor 1GB RAM Wi-Fi Integrated Webcam 10.2″ Widescreen LED display 160GB Hard drive 1.3 megapixel webcam 1.3kg weight 2 year warranty Colour - white		Free	£29.38 a month	3GB a month
Samsung N310*	Intel® Atom™ processor Windows® XP Home 10.1″ screen weighs just 1.23kg wireless-enabled 1024MB RAM 160GB hard drive Bluetooth® 1.3 megapixel webcam built-in 5 hours’ battery life		£40	£34.25 a month	5GB a month

Last Updated August 2009

* Please note that these laptops are web books rather than full laptops. Full laptops are available from most retailers if you pay a little more per month or upfront.

FAQs

Are the laptops really free?

As with mobile phone tariffs, the laptop isn’t strictly free.  The mobile broadband provider is subsidising the cost of a laptop to entice you to take their service, in most cases by £10 a month.  You benefit by effectively getting a brand new laptop with no upfront cost and cheap or free credit terms.

What is a webbook or netbook?

Webbooks and netbooks, such as the very popular Asus Eee PC are a new type of laptop which are deisgned to be ideal for using the internet whilst out and about.  They are typically about 30% smaller than a typical laptop with slightly lower specifications including smaller displays, less powerful processors and smaller hard drives.  They are ideal for browsing the internet, email, updating documents and social networking on the move but they are not designed for more complex applications such as image or video editing programmes.  Be sure to check out the detailed list of features before buying.

Compare mobile broadband free laptop deals

Mobile Phone Contracts with Free Laptops