Carphone and 3 launch 3G broadband and laptop bundle

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Mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse and mobile network 3 have announced a new mobile data package, offering a complete solution comprising a laptop, 3G modem and data plan for a single monthly fee.

For £35 a month, on a minimum 18 month contract, users will get a 3G data plan with 3GB of bundled data, usually sold for £15 on its own, plus 200 bundled text messages per month, as well as a USB HSDPA modem and a shiny new laptop.

The laptop on offer is a Wi-Fi-enabled Dell Inspiron 1520 with an Intel Celeron processor, 1GB RAM, 80 GB hard drive and running Windows Vista Home Basic.

Carphone Warehouse, which has already had success offering so-called 'free' Dell laptops to customers signing up for fixed line broadband contracts to its AOL service, will be the exclusive retailer for the offer.

While the laptop is not free as such, rolling the cost into the monthly airtime payment will be an appealing proposition to consumers that have become used to hardware such as phones being bundled into airtime deals, with the cost amortised over the life of the contract.

Since launch, 3's 3G broadband service has received many plaudits from the industry and from customers. Boasting upwards of 98 per cent coverage and growing, it is the cheapest 3G broadband service currently available in the UK.

Asked whether 3 would be adding a Wi-Fi hotspot package to its service, in keeping with many rival mobile operators, 3 rejected the option as unnecessary.

"As far as I am aware we haven't got plans [for Wi-Fi] because with the 3G dongle you can get 98 per cent coverage of the UK. We don't think that it would be worthwhile," said 3 spokeswoman Becky Lockett.

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