I am looking at the 'free laptop' offer from 3 at the moment for their £35 a month MOBILE BROADBAND package.

These are my thoughts so far:

- it works at speeds equivalent to old dial up internet

- it's not much use for overseas broadband

- it's very useful for use on the move in the UK

- for a standalone user you wouldn't need Microsoft exchange server as long as you keep everything on one pc

- there's no such thing as a free laptop, but there does seem to be some discount inbuilt

- can anyone add anything to this?

As you said, nothing is free.

Mobile broadband is - in my opinion - a misleading name. Broadband is by nature anything above a 512kbps service and should offer AT LEAST 1Mbit. Now, you may get a fast service though clever compression and other whizzy bits, but in reality outside major cities and airports you are going to struggle to get service at reasonable speeds. Vodafone offers a high speed service in airports and major cities and high population areas, but beware - if you fall outside this, you will not get what you expect and there's little you can do about it.

T-Mobile also offers web-'n-walk which is OK but quite frankly it is down to what your expectations are.

If you want to have true mobile broadband and you live outside a major city, then forget it. You'll possibly get low speed or medium, but you only have to look at Vodafone's coverage map for mobile broadband to get a good view of service levels. For the word 'variable' read 'almost non-existent' as my business tested this in alleged 'variable' areas and we got virtually nothing.

Don't quite understand your reference to MS Exchange - has nothing to do with mobile broadband!

SHARK!

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For every positive action, there's an equal and opposite government plan.

My reference to exchange server is because if you use your laptop away from home you might have a standalone at home and have issues with where you keep your files and updating contacts, backups etc.

I know someone who uses mobile broadband successfully at home in Huddersfield (they have no land line).

I have just received my first USB dongle/modem today, and it was a breeze to install, I thought it would of been more complicated than a phone to top up, but it was very easy to top up and get started. I live 20 mins outside the city in a rural area.I am so sick of paying for a phone and internet line, I thought it would work out a lot cheaper if I switched. Plus you don't get the hassle with mac codes. I think mobile broadband is the future

I have yet to see if it works around the country I shall be camping with my laptop soon :-) internet by the open fire and bbq, heaven :-)

I will be starting uni in sept, I have bought a laptop for £279 from PC world, its better than my pc, I have had, more powerful, and its entry level, http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0853465369.1216421555@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccecadeejdddlfkcflgceggdhhmdgmi.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=335068&category_oid=

You might be better off going with prepay rather than contract least you can switch

This new mobile broadband offer from PC world looks great i say to myself as im shopping in PC world this thur, but whats the catch free laptop with mobile broad band with 5gig download limit sounds to good to be true.

So i ask a member of staff for some information, It all seems straight forward and fair and still a good offer (The main point to consider is the staff member explained to me that internet browsing was free 24 hours a day just like home broadband, and that there was a lengthy cancellation period).

It was late and i was impressed so i decided to sign up there but it being PC world none of the laptops on display that i wanted was in stock. So i shopped around the next day and found PC world with 3 was best offer, so i went back signed up and was told again that surfing was unlimited i also convinced a friend of the offer (Sorry Phil) and he signed being told the same thing about web browsing.

I got home that night and was pleased a punch with service. The laptop was great (Compaq) and the internet was exceptional (much better than expected i thought it would be patchy) with good speeds reaching 130Kbs on one download not bad considering. Although when i looked i was supplied that no information on price plans, cancellation terms and most unbelievable they didn't include me with my copy of the contract.

All was good until Mon 48 hours after activation and i get a message from 3 stating i had used up all my internet allowances. What the hell i think that can't be possible, i had only downloaded about 2.5gig of data i should still have 2.5gig left. So i removed the dongle modem and contacted 3 for an explanation.

In all fairness to 3 they got back to me very quickly although it was not helpful. The individual was friendly enough (although hard to understand (why use people with strong accents its such a struggle to communicate but i diverge thats another more complicated topic)) and helpfully informed me that not only web browsing but simply being connected to the internet taken from your usage. I couldn't believe it three members of staff had lied about the service, this i explained but the 3 contact simply said they were wrong and offered no solution. Then i asked how the hell i had used 2.5gig even if i was connected and viewing web pages for 48 hours straight i wouldn't use up that amount, He simply replied i had used a large amount, i asked on what to which he said i should register with 3 and they will display all information on the website.


I went back on the internet to register with three and had another message from them stating i now owed £10.35 (had no supplied information on how to register and nothing clear on the site). How is that even possible i had the modem in the box and the laptop closed down and only 2 hours had passed. I was fumming mad and contacted 3 again (but i have always been polite and reasonable during all communications)

I explained all the above and was offered no explanation or solution. I stated i was happy with the internet service and would be happy to continue the contract if we could start from fresh with me being in full possession of the information on the service and an explanation on my internet usage (not unreasonable i thought), this option was completely ignored and i was told it couldn't be done (im sure they could if they cared). So i explained i was still in my cooling of period and i want to cancel. I was them informed that they couldn't cancel my contract i would have to contact PC world, I was suspicious as the contract was with 3 but 3 explained that PC world had miss sold me the agreement and the fault was with them.

So after that phone call i go to the PC world were i bought the service and again explained the above (To three different members of staff before i got the line manager). I explained how it was miss advertised and the lack of supplied information. Well guess what surprise surprise they refused to take it back completely ignoring and discounting the lies that were told to sell the contract. I was told that the contract was with 3 and had nothing to do with them they were just the agents, i was only informed that there was only a three day cancellation period again after being told by PC world that i had a fortnight (Arrrrrrrrg !!)

I was really beginning to lose my ragg and i asked if "3 says your responsible and you say they are what the hell am i supposed to do" and the manager simply repeated that i will have to contact 3. So i asked if he could contacted them for me to sort it out to which he replied that he couldn't (I could of punched him), if your acting as 3 agents why would you not be able to communicate with them , your acting as a middle man it is your job to communicate between customer and provider. This he simply choose to ignore and reiterate that he couldn't contact 3 (Lies, lies, lies (They didn't even offer to suppley me with my contract what a dick)).

So i have contacted 3 for a third time and guess what they are saying to go to the dealers that they cant cancel my contract or help in any way. all they these people do is pass the problem off to another department.

I will get back with the results but don't hold your breath and don't shop at PC world or trust what the staff says its just lies. Three has terrible service.

If anyone has a solution or if PC world or 3 get some ethics please replie

Unregistered

Got full refund and cancellation from PC world no problem at all this time. Still had to do alot of running about and phoning (petrol + phone bill) so still out of pocket, but you have to stick up for your consumer rights.

Hiya,

I recently took the plunge with a 3 package as I do not have internet on a land line, did not want to pay extortionate fees for the luxury of a BT line just so I could choose another ISP and that left me with Virgin. meh.

I went with the pay-as-you-go service as I didn't want to be tied to a contract for 12-18mths. Whilst the free laptop deals were tempting but as you say - nothing for free and in this case I can see a fixed price 18mth contract looming!

The deal I went for is the starter pack that comes pre-loaded with 12Gb of data allowance, which on 3's rates equates to £120 worth of top ups (as they are £10 per Gb). When you look at the pay monthly deals, many are for 3Gb per month so I figured that 12Gb would be a good start as this would allow for 4mnths at 3Gb a month or possibly longer as I don't download movies (the quality is not good enough).

With the package of 12Gb is the modem - flash drive style, that retails for £50.

Together this is approx £170 worth of kit and data that is sold for £100 - I think this is a good deal :)

So far the speed hasn't been true 'broadband' and if the weather is playing up then the connection can be a bit patchy but I am happy with the connectivity for the price with the joy of no fixed contract

Also I can take it abroad, I just pay extra for the data, much the same as a mobile phone.

Hope that helps someone!

its the freedom it gives you which is good and the cheapness of no line rental and extra for broadband. only drawbacks i have found is the connecting each time on startup and the speed isnt as good as my landline broadband was. i actually have to uninstall the software and reinstall it every time or else it just keeps saying no network when you try to connect yet it does connect if you do the uninstall and reinstall software.