Free Laptop Deals / Mobile Broadband
With the recent advertising of ‘free’ Laptop deals, who would be daft enough to pay for one ever again? But as you'd expect free does often mean there are hidden extras, so it is best to know everything about the offer and the questions that need to be asked before committing yourself to a particular provider or service.
In order to make this simpler for you, Laptop deals, has noted down the main points to consider when reviewing these deals, and we are currently busy revewing and researching the best deals currently on the market, so please check shortly for our updates.
Things to consider:
Why are certain companies offering free laptops or netbooks in the UK, is it a trick?
There are hundreds of broadband service providers out there competing for your business that a free laptop / iPod or Nintendo Wii etc is often thrown into the deal. Similar in a way to opening a new mobile phone contract, the handset is provided ‘free’ with the service. Of course laptops are relatively cheap today (even cheaper than phone handsets), making it possible for companies to include this as a part of the service.
So it’s a sneaky hidden charge?
Well it’s true that in order to obtain a free laptop you must sign up to a broadband rental contract so essentially the service you are paying for is subsiding the cost of the laptop. Contracts do vary the common clauses include a contract length for example 12-18 months, increased service rates than without taking a laptop, expensive set up charges and at worst all three.
Will the laptop play the latest games and my blue ray videos?
Again different contracts offer different types of laptops, some offer basic netbooks which are ideal for travel, documents and surfing the web, other offer more advanced machines capable of playing the latest video games or playing HD videos.
Internet connection speeds and availability
Laptops have become ultramobile thanks to their light, slim designs and the addition of wireless (wifi) technology. Internet connections have also evolved, static lines into the home are no longer required as a connection can be established using mobile technology. Mobile technology is similar to mobile phone technology and requires that a laptop is within signal range of a signal mast.
Download and upload limits
Typically mobile providers offer between 3 and 5 gigabytes a month. Should you go over this limit the charge for extra bandwidth is usually extortionate.
What about support in the event of a problem?
The main points to consider with support are:
- Quality of service
- Cost of service
When you have a problem with the service and wish to call the help-desk you don’t want to be waiting on hold in order to receive assistance, nor do you want to speak to someone without technical knowledge who is reading from a cheat-sheet.
It is common that a provider has a support website and email help desk to answer your questions free of charge. Phone support has always been a costly affair, but it is probably worth knowing these costs before signing up to a service provider.