Mobile Broadband Guide

Free laptops on a contract

By signing up to a long-term mobile broadband contract you can often get a laptop thrown in with the deal, but are these offers as great as they seem?

It might seem tempting to get a “free laptop” with your mobile broadband, but it’s always a good idea to check whether the deal you’re signing up to is really worth it.

How to get a free laptop on a contract

You’ll have to sign an 18 or 24 month mobile broadband contract with a mobile provider that offers a free laptop deal. Mobile broadband is available from most major mobile networks in the UK, and free laptops are currently offered by O2 Mobile Broadband (www.O2.co.uk), 3 Mobile Broadband (www.Three.co.uk), Orange Mobile Broadband (www.Orange.co.uk), T-Mobile Mobile Broadband (www.T-Mobile.co.uk) and Vodafone Mobile Broadband (www.Vodafone.co.uk).

Depending on the provider you choose and the tariff you sign up to, you'll be offered a range of different spec laptops, from ultra-portable netbooks to high-spec, full-sized laptops and even sim-enabled laptops that come with built-in mobile broadband - so you don’t even need to plug a dongle in.

Is a ‘free’ laptop on a contract really free?

Some of the laptops available through these schemes would be cheaper to buy outright than get with a mobile broadband package. Others can save you maybe £30 or £40 over the course of two years, but the amount you’ll save is often negligible. It’s perhaps better to look upon these deals as a way of spreading the cost of a new laptop.

Are there any hidden costs?

Each mobile broadband package is subject to some sort of download limit. Unless you're on a plan with a fair usage policy - which is only offered by T-Mobile - you'll be charged for any data you use outside of your allowance. This cost can vary from 1.96p per MB with Orange to a massive 19.6p per MB with O2.

Because of this, a mobile broadband connection isn’t advisable if you want to download a lot of movies and music, play games online or watch a lot of online TV through services like the BBC iPlayer.

Install our free Broadband Download Monitor to track your downloads and set alerts to warn you as you reach your limit.

Mobile broadband coverage varies across the country from one provider to the next, so you should always run a postcode search before signing up to make sure that you'll receive an adequate connection where you live.

Try our mobile broadband price comparison to find your best option for a free laptop with your mobile broadband contract.