2008 was a great year for consumers in the battle for reasonably priced 3G Wireless Broadband. Prices fell and kept on falling. The price war between the mobile phone companies was quite spectacular and brought prices within the realms of consumer affordability, not just business.
2009 looks set for more of the same – but with a twist. You can now get a ‘free’ laptop with your 3G wireless broadband plan. It may have to be the best up sell line ever! “Would you like a laptop with your internet?”
Telstra started experimenting with this concept of a ‘free’ laptop bundled with a wireless internet plan in mid 2008. But it was about $100 per month for only 1GB of data. It was aimed squarely at business users. Already this year we have Dodo releasing a bundle consisting of free mobile, mobile cap, free Asus Eee PC, free USB modem and 250MB of data – all for $59.90
Vodafone is also entering the “free laptop with wireless internet” market later in January 2009. Their first offer will be the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 on a $70 per month plan with 5GB of data.
So how good a deal is it really? Well let’s look at the offers from Dodo and Vodafone and see how they stack up!
Dodo is offering:
$320 of Mobile Usage + ‘yes’ time with a free Nokia 6300. This currently costs $49 per month with Dodo. If you went for a stand-alone $49 Cap, you’d no doubt pick a more expensive phone for free. but the 6300 is a great little phone in its own right.
Free Asus Eee PC 701 SD. This is worth about $400. If that cost were interest-free over 24 months you’d pay $16.67 per month.
250MB of Wireless Internet Data per month. Dodo doesn’t have an exact plan for 250MB, but based on their other plans, it would be worth about $9.99 per month.
Free 3G USB Modem. Dodo usually charges $149 for a USB Modem. If it were interest-free over 24 months is would be $6.21 per month
The grand total is $81.87, but you get it all for $59.90 – plus a laptop and USB modem with no upfront outlay!
Visit the Dodo website to find out more and register your interest!
Vodafone is offering:
5GB of data. This currently costs $39.95 per month with Vodafone.
Free Dell Mini 9 Inspiron Laptop. These retail for $549, so over 24 months the cost is $22.88 per month.
The total cost then would be $62.83 per month – of course assuming you could pick up a laptop interest free for 24 months with no upfront outlay. That is highly unlikely. But even still the predicted plan of $70 per month then seems pretty steep. Especially too considering Vodafone doesn’t have to include a USB Modem (usually $149) with the 5GB data plan, as there in inbuilt 3G Wireless. Vodafone would also not be paying retail price for the laptops.
Assuming without the USB modem, the 5GB of data was worth $34.95, then the monthly fee would be $57.83 and Vodafone would make a tidy profit from the laptop too. We’ll reserve judgement until the $70 plan is officially announced by Vodafone, but a pricepoint closer to $59 per month would seem more reasonable.
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